Anxiety
by Kareen2006
Summary: An AkuRoku fanfic. Axel, a social recluse only makes friends though accident and happenstance. Roxas lives in the lap of luxury light years away from regular society. A series of twists and turns brings them together, in the most convoluted ways.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note (5/9/11): **This is my first fanfic. It was written before I gave a damn about editing so there are a _ton_ of grammatical issues here.

It also doesn't help that FFnet took away my scene dividers so the story bleeds into itself. They did it like... a third of the way through my second fic and I have yet to go back and edit anything for this story. I apologize in advance for all the confusion. I really need to muster up the patience to edit this thing.

Some day I will. Some day.

* * *

Chapter 1

Axel yawned. It wouldn't be long before the brisk September air gave way to the chills of October. Soon, he might have to think about putting legitimate pants on. But for now anyway, he was comfortable with his khaki shorts and sandals with only a windbreaker standing between him and goose bumps.

He exhaled the last bit of his cigarette before smashing the butt into the metal bleachers his ass was freezing to; he supposed that no one would show today.

"Ah well," he said aloud to himself as he stood and headed back to where he had his bicycle chained up, baseball mitt and ball tucked under his arm. After a short distance he could already see there was a major problem.

The bike rack was empty, and several chains were hanging loosely, swinging back and fourth in the wind. There were three others standing around the rack, cell phones in hand no doubt calling a ride home, or the police. As he approached them he over heard tidbits of conversations mostly consisting of 'uh huh' and 'only about an hour,' so he just kept on walking past.

"Fuck." His ride was gone. He knew the culprits would be long gone and that something this petty wasn't worth the headache of a search and rescue attempt for his piece of crap bike anyway. He figured that whatever money the crooks could get for his bike was probably not worth their effort so kudos to them for wasting their time. They'd figure it out soon enough.

Walking out of the park, he ran his fingers through his fiery hair a couple times before digging in his pocket for another smoke. Just as he looked up from his lighter, a glittering black Lincoln Town Car passed him and stopped about five yards away at the park entrance. Axel could help but stare a little. It was just so damn _shiny_.

The back door flung itself open as a pale leg stepped out in a half-run.

"Selphie!" squealed a female voice as a young blonde girl flew out of the luxury car and into the entrance, arms flung open wide. Another set of arms belonging to a brunette girl with gravity defying hair appeared from the entrance before the blonde plowed into her with an audible 'oomf.'

For the sake of curiosity and wanting to try to see inside the car, Axel decided he should probably take his bike chain after all and wandered his way back, keeping an open ear on the girls and peeking out the corner of his eye at the car. There were two boys at the bike rack in matching school uniforms; black slacks with shiny black loafers, white button down shirts with red plaid, v-neck sweater vests and the knot of a black tie poking out the collar, the crest of the local private school embroidered on their chests. The matching pair were talking quietly amongst themselves, their cut bike chains dangling from their hands. Axel picked his up, and took a long drag from his almost-forgotten cigarette before turning and tossing the chain in a nearby garbage can.

"Hey," he heard a voice and turned to see the pair had faced him and were taking a couple steps towards him to close the gap between them.

"Uh, hey."

"You too huh?" the pudgy brunette boy said, holding up his useless chain and looking forlorn. Axel nodded. His friend, a kid with lightly tanned skin and sandy blonde hair scowled.

"The bastards, I just got that bike like three weeks ago. We already called the police. You got a phone? You want to call too?"

"Nah, I'm okay. Thanks for the offer but mine was a piece of junk anyway. I don't even know why they bothered," Axel said as he dropped his cigarette on the ground and snuffed it out under his sandal. The three boys heard a squeal and simultaneously looked in the direction of the two girls only to see the blonde clasp her hands together gleefully and wag her hips around like a hyperactive fish.

The brunette girl twirled around and walked back towards the trio before taking the sandy haired kids' hand.

"Namine said she would drive us all home, Tidus. Is that okay with you Pence?" she questioned before she looked over at the pudgy boy and he nodded.

"That's fine. What about you buddy?" Pence asked, looking over Tidus' shoulder at Axel. He blinked, confused. Was this kid really offering him a ride home? In that awesome car? Or rather, offering his friend to offer Axel a ride home in that awesome car?

He didn't want to seem rude. He looked at the girl, before looking back at the pudgy kid. "Well, I don't really mind but I don't exactly know any of you. Seems kindof weird to accept."

"Oh Namine is social like that. Plus, she's not really the one driving," Selphie said, turning to point at the car. Axel looked over and noticed a man with silver and grey hair with a horrendous scar on his face, leaning his arms on the roof of the car watching them patiently. Or at least he hoped the guy was patient; he couldn't really tell, the guy had sunglasses on. Axel blinked again, taking it all in. Then he shrugged.

"Sure, as long at he doesn't mind. I only live about three miles away."

"Holy crap! You rode your bike for _three miles_ to get here?" the girl exclaimed, wide eyed. "Ugh! I can't even get through P.E. with my fat ankles!" Axel had to smile at the comment.

It was a done deal. The four of them headed for the town car, picking up the blonde, Namine, on the way. The driver stood straight and held out his hand in protest.

"Whoa whoa whoa, kids. I only agreed to take the four of you, who's this guy?" he asked while pointing at Axel. Axel looked at the kids for assistance in this awkward moment, realizing just how much taller and out of place he looked with his facial tattoos and unnatural hair amongst them.

"His bike was taken too, Xibgar, isn't that right?" Selphie said, looking to her gal-pal, before looking back at Axel.

"That's right. I'm Axel. If it's not cool with you, I can walk."

Xigbar walked around the front of the car and stopped in front of the redhead, running a scrutinizing eye over him from head to toe. Axel quirked an eyebrow, who was this guy? The driver snorted.

"Fine. But he sits up front with me. Which way you going?"

"South, to Livingston."

"We're going North, you get off first."

"Thanks."

The group all piled into the car, and Axel took a tentative seat up front with Xigbar, clicking his seatbelt as soon as he got in and laying his glove and ball on his lap. The car was indeed very nice. The seats were soft black leather, and the dashboard console was covered in a bunch of glittering buttons Axel couldn't even guess what they were all for, aside from maybe the radio. The girls were whispering in the back and giggling to one another and the boys sat quietly. Xigbar plopped himself next to Axel and adjusted the rearview and pressed a couple buttons before starting the car and heading south.

"Namine, put your seatbelt on," Xigbar huffed.

"Aw, but I want to talk to Axel," she leaned forward and folded her arms over the back of Axel's seat clearly ignoring Xigbar and she smiled. The driver didn't ask again, only sighed and dug around in his shirt pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and pulled one into his mouth. He felt his pocket again, before feeling the pockets of his pants and grumbled. Axel instinctively dug in his pocket and flicked his lighter for the man, and held it out for him.

"Thanks," he said before taking a drag of the flame and giving Axel a sharp look out the corner of his glasses. Axel noted his eyes were hazel, before turning his head completely and meeting a sea of endless blue. Namine smiled wide.

"Hi," she said.

"Uh, hi?"

"So, where do you go to school?"

"Nowhere, I graduated last June."

"Oh really? I thought you were way older," she said plainly. Axel didn't know if this was good or if he should feel insulted. If he looked old he might be able to buy beer without an ID right? "I graduated three years ago myself, would you believe it?"

"Whoa. Seriously? Which school?"

"Trinity. You?"

"Hollow High," he said, feeling a little less of himself. Namine went to the local private school. There were three schools in the immediate area. There was Trinity High, Hollow High, the local public school, and then there was the Academy. Hollow Bastion Academy for Young Gentlemen was a boys only private school that only had about a hundred students. The main purpose of the school was to groom young boys into being the future leaders of the world or some bullshit. All Axel knew was that his family wasn't near rich enough to even think about sending him there.

"That's cool. I always wanted to go there," Namine said while her brunette friend giggled in the back seat.

"You only wanted to go there because Riku went there, Nami."

"Yeah, so? He's gorgeous," Namine said dreamily, looking past Axel and out the car window.

"So, is that where you all go then?" Axel interjected before the conversation went all girly on him, looking into the back seat at the silent boys and Selphie, who was still holding hands with Tidus. For the first time he realized Selphie was wearing a red plaid skirt with a white button down blouse with the same crest as the boys'. They all nodded.

"We're all seniors," Selphie said, poking her friend in the butt, which was conveniently jutting out for just such an opportunity.

"Where am I going kid?" Xigbar blurted, his voice sounding a little less tense. Axel turned his attention to the front of the car and took in his surroundings, then proceeded to give the man directions to his house.

When they pulled up to his mothers' bungalow the blonde squeaked and smashed her hands up against the door window. "Your house is so _cute_! It's so _yellow_!"

"Yes, yes it is. My mom likes yellow. Coincidentally, she also likes flowers and other mom-like things," Axel said flatly. Namine giggled. He turned to the driver "thanks for the ride, I appreciate it." Xigbar only nodded.

"Hey Axel," piped Pence from the back as Axel stuck a foot out of the door and onto his moms tree lawn. He turned and looked at the pudgy kid.

"Yeah?"

"You like baseball right?"

Axel held up his glove, "yeah, why?"

"Wanna play a game sometime? Tidus is a mean shortstop," Pence said with a small smile. Tidus looked at his friend and then to Axel and nodded a bit.

"Oh! Oh! I got second base!" Selphie quipped.

Axel looked at her, then to Pence, then at his glove. "Sure. I don't have much else to do. When?" Then he thought. "Well, actually I'll have to find a ride first, mine was ganked remember?" He smiled a bit.

"Don't worry about it," Xigbar said.

Axel's eyes widened a bit before looking over his shoulder at Xigbar, "really? And I thought you didn't like me," he said with a grin.

"Kid, I thought you were in your thirties when I first saw you," Xigbar grinned. Axel's eyes widened before Xigbar barked a laugh "Oh lighten up."

"Xiggy that was mean!" Namine squealed, punching the older man in the shoulder. Xigbar kept laughing.

He stopped after a moment, "no seriously kid. Its fine, don't worry about it. What time should we come pick you up?"

"Doesn't matter, I don't have school, and I'm off of work tomorrow."

"Okay, three thirty then. Gives these four time to get home and get changed after school. See you then."

Axel finished exiting the car and stood on the tree lawn waving goodbye to the group through tinted windows. The windows opened enough so the kids could stick their hands out and wave before they were too far away. Axel sighed once they were out of sight and walked into his house.

"Ma! Whats for dinner?"

Three thirty. It came and went. Axel waited on the front stoop of his mothers house as the ducky looking woman was trimming dead buds off her summer flower beds, preparing for autumn to take full swing.

"What time should I expect you home, sweets?" she said in her gentle voice. She was a nice enough lady; she had strawberry red hair, like Axels only hers laid flat and went down to her shoulders. Her cherub-like features were nothing like his long angular face but their eyes were almost identical and therefore she could never deny that Axel was her son. Their height difference was substantial, having inherited his fathers' legs and Axel tried his best to not make fun of how short his mom was every day, but it was hard.

"If they ever show up you mean," Axel sighed.

"Aw baby don't be like that. I'm happy you're making friends again. I'm optimistic, and you should be too."

"I know ma, I know," Axel said as he ran a hand over his face before looking at his watch. Almost four. He dug in his pockets for a smoke and was taking his first drag when his mother quipped.

"Yuck, Axel."

"Don't want to hear it, shorty," he said around his cigarette with a grin.

"You're so mean to me sometimes."

"I know, but you know I love you."

"Love you too, sweets."

There was a glitter from down the street as a black Lincoln Town Car drew closer and closer. Axel let out a breath he didn't know he was holding before scraping the cherry out of his cigarette on the step and stuffed the half smoked stick back in his pack. He gathered up his glove and ball, and went to give his mom a kiss. She laid a sloppy one on his cheek and grinned, knowing how much it made him cringe.

"That was for calling me short. Be back by midnight please. So I can sleep."

"Yeah yeah," he said with a smile, wiping mom-slobber off his face.

The car was stopped in front when he turned around. Xigbar was standing with his arms over the roof of the car as he spied Axel's mother.

"When should I have him home by ma'am?" he said in a raised voice so she would hear him. She turned and waved a hand flippantly.

"He knows when to be home, but sometime before tomorrow would be nice."

"Can do," Xigbar smiled and climbed back in the car.

Axel was a little embarrassed by the exchange they just had. He wasn't a kid. But he somehow felt that it was a natural thing for Xigbar to do, considering the company they had less than twenty four hours ago. Axel was halfway in his seat before he heard Xigbar pipe up again.

"Sorry kid. Habit," he grinned sheepishly from behind his sunglasses.

"It's fine."

"Hi Axel!" a now familiar squeal echoed from the back. Axel didn't have to turn away from fastening his seat belt to respond.

"Hi Namine, how was your day?"

"Oh fine fine. I had my boring classes today; did I tell you I'm in college? I don't remember. I'm an Art major at HBU." Axel heard a grunt from the back followed by a low phlegm filled cough from behind him. When he turned to see who it was, he saw Namine's elbow nudged in the ribs of another blonde.

"Whoa, hello. I didn't see you there," Axel said with a raised eyebrow. The kid was obviously sick. His nose was red but his face was ghostly pale. He had endless blue eyes just like his sister but was a stronger shade of blonde than she. He also had a weird cow licked hair style that made Axel think the kid had too many swirlies from the bullies at his school. He was slouched in his seat, hands folded over his stomach in a uniform Axel had never seen before. He had on white loafers that shined like glass, grey slacks, a white button down dress shirt, with a blue and green harlequin patterned pullover, the knot of his tie was clipped with a gilded broach with some weird crest with an opal inlay. His book bag was situated between his legs on the floor with an instrument case next to it. The kid looked at him briefly before digging in his pocket and pulling out a handkerchief and coughing a few more times into it. He waited for the coughing to stop before stuffing it away again.

"Hello. I'm Roxas forgive me for not shaking your hand," he croaked before sniffling lightly.

"Wow kid, you look terrible," Axel blurted before he could stop himself.

"I'm aware of that. And I'm not a kid, thank you."

"Sorry. I didn't mean anything by it."

"I'm seventeen."

"Oh," Axel managed to stop himself before he told Roxas that he looked like a twelve year old.

"We were late because Roxas' instructor called and wanted us to come get him from his lessons because well, yeah. He's sick," Xigbar said. "We dropped the others off at the park, swung by and grabbed Roxas before heading here, sorry for being so late but we didn't have your number. Otherwise we would've called."

"I apologize," Roxas said before coughing into his 'kerchief again.

"No problem. I wasn't busy," Axel said flatly.

The car stopped in front of the park and already Axel could see the baseball diamond in the distance with some active bodies on it. He smiled a bit before unbuckling himself. He was about to get out when he felt a warm meaty hand on his arm.

"Wait kid," Xigbar said. "Give me your personal information."

"What?"

"Phone number. Address. That stuff."

"What? Why?"

"So if you happen to break a leg off or die or something I can call your mother, and tell the paramedics where to drop your body off."

"I'm not gonna.." Xigbar held up a hand to stop Axel. He dug into his pants pocket and pulled out a Blackberry and a stylus. Axel blinked.

"It's my job kid. One. Two. Three. Go."

Axel spilled out his home address and number before thinking about it any further. He looked to the back seat for Namine's reaction but she was already walking outside towards the diamond with a book clutched to her chest. All he saw sitting back there was Roxas. Looking pitiful.

"He gonna be okay?" Axel asked aloud without meaning to. Damn, his brain to mouth filter was broken today.

Xigbar looked up from his Blackberry and at the rearview at Roxas. "Yeah he's fine. He's like that. Have fun now."

Axel took one last look at Roxas, slumped in his seat, eyes barely able to see over the door and out the window. He had a longing look on his face but it was quickly wiped away when he started to cough, digging in his pocket for his handkerchief.

The wind up. And the pitch!

"Swing and a miss!" Pence yelped from behind Selphie with his catchers mitt.

"Uagh!" she made a disgusted sound. "Why didn't you tell me you could throw like that Axel?" Selphie pouted.

Axel had to grin a bit. It was a sort of twisted pleasure he got out of making people miss and end up eternally frustrated. He couldn't help he had an awesome arm.

"You should see me shoot three pointers!" Axel grinned at Selphie with a wink. She gaped at him.

"You play basketball too! God! How do you people do this!" she stomped, and readied herself for another pitch. This time, she was ready. Like really ready. Axel wound up and threw it straight down the middle.

_CRACK!_ The ball went soaring up high. Axel stopped and stood straight watching the ball disappear into the clouds.

"Oh yeah! Awesome pop fly, babe!" Tidus called from shortstop/third base. They didn't have enough people, even with the additional two that materialized, some kid with weird hair named Wakka, and another blonde named Hayner, so they rotated, as the batters rotated. Wakka, the poor kid, was the only one in the outfield and he scrambled his way around with his glove up high and ready. He stopped and waited as the ball fell with an audible '_pliff_' into his glove.

"Bastard!" Selphie cried, halfway to first base, her fist shaking in feigned hostility. Wakka only grinned and threw the ball to Tidus who threw it back to Axel.

"Who's next?" Axel asked loud enough so everyone, even poor Wakka could hear.

"I am!" came a cry of a distance away. Everyone turned and waved as Xigbar jogged his way to the diamond.

"Xiggy! Why are you here so early?" Namine called from the bleachers. She wasn't one for playing, Axel came to find but she claimed she was the most important part of the game. She was the 'fans.' So there she sat, doodling away in a sketchbook.

"Early? You guys have been going at it for like, four hours. It's getting dark. Aren't you all hungry."

"OHMYGODYOUHAVENOIDEA," gasped Selphie as she slumped in her position, still halfway to first base.

"Good. Come on. Let me hit one then we can all get some grub back at the house."

"Alright! Smack one out of the park Xig!" cried Hayner from first/second base.

"No way! Then that means I have to go get it!" Wakka yelled from the outfield as he was backing up, obviously giving Xigbar some girth for his hit.

Axel grinned. He watched as Xigbar rolled up his shirt sleeves and patted home base with the bat before taking a practice swing and readying himself. His sunglasses were off and tucked in his shirt pocket. Axel took in how _severe_ the guy's facial features were before winding up and throwing with all he had.

Xigbar choked up on the bat before laying it horizontally and bunting it just enough so it landed a few feet in front of Axel, he took off running for first before anyone had a chance to realize what he did, cackling the entire way.

"Fuck!" Axel said, scrambling for the ball. By the time he had it in his hand, Xigbar had already rounded second and was halfway to third. Tidus was pointing for home and Axel took off to meet Xigbar halfway, arm outstretched.

"Oop! Fast bugger eh?" Xigbar said when Axel almost had him. The older man swayed his hips away and around the ball in Axel's hand and jogged his way home, panting a bit.

"What the hell Xig!" Hayner cried. Selphie was on the bleachers with Namine laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. Tidus was grinning and Wakka was holding his sides with laughter while he walked in field. Pence, was sitting in the dirt, looking bored.

"That was really uneventful Xigbar," the pudgy kid said with a smile.

"That's okay kid it was worth it," Xigbar said, holding his hand out to help him up.

"Totally unexpected. That was great," Axel said with a slight grin.

"I know right?" Xigbar said with a laugh.

The group dissipated with Hayner, Tidus, and Wakka saying they all had homework to do before the weekend started. The trio piled into Hayner's car and sped away after a couple handshakes and a brotherly hug to Xigbar and with promises to play again.

The remaining four; Axel, Namine, Selphie, and Pence, rode in relative silence with Xigbar to Namine's house. Which, as it turns out (and not to Axel's surprise) was absolutely enormous; a huge white brick mansion in a gated community about fifteen minutes from the park. Her home was the one farthest in the back so it took almost another ten minutes from the entrance to get there. Rows and rows of enormous homes and large estates flew by; Axel almost started to drool his mouth was hanging open for so long.

"Holy shit," he said quietly to himself. Xigbar chuckled lightly from the drivers' seat.

"Bye house!" Selphie squealed as they passed a sandstone-looking estate, waving madly at the building through the window as if it registered she was passing it by. Then Axel had a thought.

"Wait, if you live there, why did you complain when I said I rode my bike three miles to the park? You have to ride way farther from your place, you know."

"Huh? Oh, that wasn't my bike. Pence and I rented them from the bike place a few blocks away. We just like riding them around the park, it makes me less hyper… or so my mom says. Tidus was the only one besides you who _really_ lost his bike. He lives in town in one of the brownstones."

"Oh. Huh."

"Everyone out," Xigbar announced as they pulled to a stop in front of the mansion, "head to the dinner hall, Dem's got steak."

_Who's Dem_? Axel thought to himself.

Axel was greeted at the door by a very large and hairy animal. He thought at first it was a polar bear but it was soon introduced as Alabaster, the family Great Pyrenees. Somewhere around here there was a cat named Pearl, Namine had mentioned. They also had a large fish pond out back and a couple of parrots in an indoor/outdoor aviary, apparently.

"Nami!" a voice called from somewhere.

"Demmy!" Namine called back.

"Nami!" a voice called, closer this time before a man with a strange Mohawk-like hair style came flying around the corner of into the grand entryway, arms open wide. Namine took off and plowed into him, the two of them creating a massive bear hug. Dem, squeezed the girl so her cheek was smashed up against his cheek so hard it made him slur his speech.

"I mithed oo thoo muth!" Dem cried, swinging Namine back and fourth, her feet waggling a few inches above the ground.

"I mithed you too!" Namine slurred back. They both sighed and let go of each other before turning to the small group. Pence and Selphie waved.

"How was your trip Demyx?" Pence asked. Axel, at this point was pretty lost.

"Oh I dunno…eh…" Demyx drawled looking bored before blurting out loudly "only about _totally awesome_!" his face brightening immediately. "I got stories! I got pictures! Oh my god it was _awesome_! But that's for later. I made dinner!"

And so they walked. And walked. And walked, until Axel was starting to think that they were lying about the dinner and he was going to end up in some empty hall with a sign that said 'fooled you, dumbass!' They passed through halls and halls of white. Only offset by more white. And then more white. White rugs, white marble floors, white woodwork, white curtains that framed gigantic white windows, white vases on white pedestals but no artwork was to be found on the white stone walls.

Then everything was blue. Well, blue with wood. The long awaited dining hall was a long room with blue carpeting and mahogany walls with a mahogany dining table Axel only thought existed in the movies. It easily sat sixteen at the very least he bet. The runner down the table was blue, the tapestries were predominately blue, the vases, sculptures, placemats, were all blue. Different shades of blue on blue. But Axel soon noticed that there were only five place settings all set up at the farthest part of the table. Demyx disappeared behind a door hidden in the paneling.

The three who weren't Axel, all made their way to sit at various places that were set for them while Axel could only stand and gape.

"You alright there Axel?" Pence asked, a distance away.

"Y-yeah. Just a bit overwhelmed, I guess," he said meekly.

"Oh, sorry. Is it that bad? We don't have to eat here you know, we can eat in the car or something, or have it as a picnic at the park or whatever," Namine chimed in.

"No. No, it's fine. It's already here."

Axel meandered his way over to the table and sat with a _plunk_ next to Selphie. The chair set up next to him was empty and at the head of the table.

"Is Xigbar eating with us?" Axel asked.

"Hm? Oh no that one's for Roxas," Namine answered.

Axel had forgotten about the pitiful kid. "Oh," no sooner had he said that did the door they had entered in open and a much better looking Roxas padded his way through the hall.

"How're you feeling, Rox?" Pence asked.

"I'm doing better, thank you. I had a session with Marluxia and I feel quite rejuvenated, and my sniffles are better," he said flatly before sitting down gently in his seat.

"Oooh Marluxia…" Selphie said dreamily before putting her elbows on the tables for her face to be held in so she can gawk into the distance. Namine giggled.

"Is he still here? I think Selphie wants a session too," she said.

"He might be. Demyx said they could all eat together in the kitchen."

Selphie dropped back in her chair, "oh man… I _have_ to ask him."

"Ask me what?" a hand snaked out from the paneling where Demyx had left before a head of soft pink hair peered into the hall, features belonging to that of a woman but with a voice of a man.

"Pick a way, Marmar, in or out!" chided Demyx before the door was pushed open fully by his foot and he pulled a cart with several steaming plates and bowls seated on it into the hall.

"Yes yes," Marluxia said, before he followed Demyx in. They were both dressed in matching attire. White button shirts with the top button undone tucked into black slacks with aprons tried around their waists, and shiny black loafers, but only Demyx had gloves on. A trail of laughter from several other men drifted from the supposed kitchen before the door slid shut and became part of the wall again.

"Hi Marluxia," Selphie said sheepishly.

"Hello m'dear," he replied with a smile. Axel could swear he could hear her melt a little. Axel honestly thought Marluxia looked way too much like a woman, and couldn't possibly _not_ be a transvestite. But Selphie thought he was amazing apparently and he really didn't have a place to say his opinion about it anyway so he kept his mouth shut. He also thought that Tidus and Selphie were an item. Whatever, too complicated. Best not to question.

Roxas sniffled a little and Axel was brought back to reality and he looked at the boy. He was sitting straight, all the way back in his chair. His eyes lowered to the table with his hands folded neatly in his lap. Demyx started to ladle various food items onto the umpteen amounts of dishes before the small boy only stopping when Roxas put up a hand without saying a word. He did the same for Namine, and Pence before pulling the cart around and serving Axel.

"Uh, thanks," Axel grunted nervously. This was _too_ formal for him, there were doilies in between the stacked dishes for Christs' sake. Demyx only smiled and said.

"Uh, you're welcome," quite obviously mocking Axel's nervousness before moving on to serve Selphie. Marluxia simply stood behind Roxas with little movement.

There was idle chatter between the three friends that was very rarely something Axel could follow. He was fascinated with the way Roxas was eating. He scooted forward in his chair before picking up a single fork out of the six thousand that were in front of him, and started to eat the various dishes of food with tiny bites. He would cut his steak with little effort when he needed, change utensil when he needed, and only take bites the size of quarters or smaller. When he drank his water, he only sipped. It was unsettling. His eyes were settled so low on the place setting that they almost seemed like he was eating with his eyes closed.

Meanwhile the threesome, though with equal amounts of silverware, only really used one fork, one knife, and one spoon apiece and were eating like humans rather than fucking robots. That is what Axel could relate to, so he followed their suit. The food was perfectly cooked and before long, all five of them had finished, with Roxas coming in last with the last nibble of his rabbit-like bites.

"Excuse me," Roxas had said before wiping his mouth one more time with his blue cloth napkin and setting it on Marluxia's arm. He left the table in silence and padded his way out the door.

Marluxia started to clear the plates from Roxas' spot in silence.

"Did you want some help?" Axel asked out of reflex. He usually asked his mom the same question after their dinners every night.

Marluxia stopped and turned to look at him before smiling. "No, no. I'm fine."

"So what do you guys wanna do?" Namine chimed. "It's too cold to swim, and the sauna probably has Roxas germs all over it," she said wrinkling her nose. Pence and Selphie both wrinkled their noses in the same fashion.

"Actually.." Axel said, garnering all three pairs of eyes on him at once. "I want to know what the hell is up with that kid."

"Roxas? Why whats wrong with him?" Namine asked. "I thought he looked better. He wasn't coughing anymore and only sniffled like twice."

"No no, not that. He seemed weird. Like… English or something. Like he should be at the table with a royal court with the way he was eating, and sitting all proper."

"Oh. That," Namine smiled. "That's not weird. That's just what his school has always taught him. That's how they do it."

"School?"

"He goes to the Academy."

"Oh. Well that sort of explains it I guess. I don't know much about that stuff, really," as if by instinct, Axel felt around his pants pockets for his cigarettes, but then remembered he was inside a really nice fucking house. Yes, a fucking house. Not a regular house, but a fucking house.

Namine smiled. "You guys go ahead to the theater and pick out a movie or whatever. I'll walk Axel outside so he can smoke."

"M'kay," Pence and Selphie said simultaneously.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was starting to get cold out. Axel was considering forgoing his shorts the rest of the chilly seasons until warmer weather came. But for now he was stuck with them. They stood on the back stoop/grandeur behind the mansions enormous French doors. There was already a stone ash tray parked outside with sand in the top like a birdbath in the desert. Convenient. No doubt because Xaldin smokes, but Axel thanked it for being there all the same.

"I saw you watching my brother through most of dinner, Axel," Namine deadpanned. Axel choked on his inhale and started to cough. She smiled.

"Yeah, _cough cough_ and?"

"And what? You were the one watching him, you tell me."

"He freaks me out. He's like a fucking robot, or a zombie. He looked more like a person when he was half dead in the back seat earlier," he said, flicking his ash into his convenient stone friend.

"Well yes that may be true," she said flatly, "but please don't judge him too rough. He doesn't have many friends. In fact he only has one, and I've only ever seen him twice. I tried to get him to be friends with my friends but they don't know how to deal with him. I tried, I really did but what can you do? You can't force what isn't there."

"Okay…"

"I guess what I'm asking is if you can try your best and maybe give him another friend. I know he's odd, but I think if he has a friend that's out of his environment, then Roxas would change for the better and not be such a recluse. Sora goes to the same school as him, but they never do anything outside eat lunch together I don't think."

Axels huffed and exhaled the last of his cigarette before snuffing it out in the sand of his increasingly loveable stone friend. "So what, you want me to befriend the little weirdo?"

"He's really not that weird. He's just… brainwashed? Maybe conditioned is better word. But yes. Please?"

"And what if he is a total ass to me?"

She only shrugged. "I'll leave it up to you to decide if you want to give up on him. Like I said, I couldn't force Pence or Selphie. Tidus, Wakka, and Hayner won't even go near him. It's really pitiful."

Axel turned to go into the house when Namine continued. "Go up the stars and to the right, down the West wing, his room is the sixth door on the right." He stopped halfway through the door.

"What, you want me to start _now_? I didn't even agree to anything! Plus he's sick, and I don't want to catch anything."

"Oh no, he's probably fine. When he gets that way he sits in the sauna for like three hours to detox. Which is why we shouldn't go in it, it's probably being cleaned."

Axel gaped at her. She didn't understand that this wasn't his thing. This _really_ wasn't his thing. He doesn't make friends on purpose. He makes them by accident. And how can she ask this of him really? They've known each other for less than two days! But as he stared at her, she only smiled and he eventually thought about what his mother said about being optimistic. He sighed.

"What time is it?"

Namine dug in her pocket for her cell phone and clicked on the light. "Almost ten. Oh wow, we had a really late dinner. Huh."

"Can I use that to call my mom? If I'm going to give this an honest chance I may be out past curfew," she handed him the phone with a grin.

***

Axel was standing in front of a wide white oak door. It was simple enough, but it had a glass knob that he was afraid to get fingerprints on. Down the hall, he saw the threesome's faces peeking from around the corner, watching him. He gave them a look like 'What the fuck guys?' before he inhaled through his nose and exhaled through his mouth deeply. Twice. Three times. He knocked.

"One moment please," he heard Roxas pipe from behind the heavy door. A few endless seconds passed before the door opened and the swirly haired blonde was in his sight. Okay so maybe he wasn't all that short, Axel noted. At least he was taller than his mother.

"Hi," Axel blurted awkwardly, his voice cracking like he was in seventh grade again. He heard giggles from down the hall and he fought the urge to throw his shoe at them. He cleared his throat.

"Hello. Can I help you?" Roxas gave the taller boy a stone-like stare out of spiritless eyes. Eugh… this kid was creepy.

"Uh… What 'cha up to?" Axel asked with a doofy smile plastered on his face.

"I was reading my texts. What are _you_ up to?"

"I'm standing in front of some freaky kids' door wondering when he's going to invite me in his freaky ass room." It fell out of his face-hole before he had any chance to grab onto it. He heard a light gasp before massive amounts of giggling from down the hall. He paled, watching Roxas for a reaction. The blonde only stepped aside and opened the door fully for Axel to step inside, giving him a light glare.

Axel took a tentative step inside, half expecting it explode. But when he looked around it was… normal. Expensive looking. But normal. A desk with a nice office chair sat on the far wall. There was a bookcase with a small sitting area next to a music stand with a few stray papers on it. He had a king sized bed though, which dwarfed the room in comparison, but there was still plenty of space all around for Roxas' dressers, vanity and other hulking pieces of furniture. It almost seemed like this one room took up the equivalent to the first floor of his mother's bungalow. But Axel half-expected it. Everything wood was a dark rich cherry color with white everything else. With the exception of the books and various other practical things, it was all white.

"Nice room," he said quietly. "A little dark, but it's nice," it was true, there were only a few task lights on, a lamp over by the door, and one by the bed where Roxas' textbook lay. The door closed behind him. And he turned to see Roxas fold his arms and lean against it. It was a casual stance but his shoulders were tense. Roxas probably felt as nervous as he is, Axel was set to wager.

"Thank you. I wasn't exactly expecting company otherwise I would have put on more appropriate clothing. I was getting ready for bed."

"I thought you were reading."

"It's the same thing." Axel took the boys appearance in. He seemed healthier than he had been before, that's for sure. He wasn't pale anymore; he in fact had a very healthy skin tone about him with delicate, almost feminine features. It made him wonder what he and Namine's parents looked like. The boy was indeed dressed for bed, a set of formal looking silk pajamas settling easily on him, not oversized, but roomy enough to roll around in your sleep and not get strangled. The solid forest green set off the endless blue waters of his eyes.

"I never read before I go to bed, let alone text books," Axel quipped.

"Well _I_ have to study," Roxas said, pushing off the door and walking past Axel to his little sitting area and clicking on another lamp. "Have a seat."

Axel padded over to the available wingback chair and sat down carefully. It was a white leather and actually quite soft and comfortable; not at all what he expected.

"You still haven't told me why you decided to visit me."

"Well… I'm not so sure myself. Actually it has to do with your sister."

"Namine? Really. Is she trying to force her friends on me again?" Roxas sat with his legs crossed at the knee, his hands folded in his lap.

"Well, I suppose she is but I'm not really a legitimate friend yet I don't think."

"Well you ate dinner with us, and went out to the park with her and her friends."

"I suppose, but I've only known her for like two days."

"I see what you mean, and I agree. You can relax any time now, by the way."

Axel hadn't realized but he was sitting at the edge of the chair with his back straight as a board with his hands folded in his lap like a schoolmarm. He slouched back almost instantly with an audible _thud_. Roxas raised an eyebrow and leaned forward.

"What is your problem, Axel? Am I really that terrible?"

"No… you just act so formal it freaks the shit outta me," there he goes again with the word vomit. Now both of Raxos's eyebrows were up, wrinkling his forehead.

"Really? I wasn't aware."

"Wh—really? You didn't notice?"

"No."

Axel adjusted himself so he was in a semi-normal sitting position, but still tense.

"Well what would make you feel less pressured Axel? What can I do to make you more comfortable in my home?"

"I don't know. Burp or fart or something? Act seventeen maybe instead of fifty something with a stick up your ass?" he could almost castrate himself at this point for his inability to stop himself from blurting out terrible things.

Roxas sputtered. Then he started shaking and holding his sides, at first Axel thought he had killed him or said some secret phrase that turned the robot off but then he heard a quiet laugh, a light gasp for air and the laugh became a little louder until Roxas was trying to cover up his mouth to trying and hide the fact that he was laughing hysterically. He gasped a little before speaking through light giggles "y-you want me to what?"

Axel threw him a crooked smile, unsure of what to do. "I swear, I didn't mean that. It just fell out."

Roxas continued his quiet giggle fit for a minute or two and breathed deep a few times before sighing and looking at Axel with a little glint in his eye. Lightheartedness? "You're the first one my sister has sent to me that made me laugh. I don't laugh very often, Axel," he sighed. "I'm sorry I make you so tense. I don't mean to. As I said I don't even realize it," he smiled, a small almost sad smile.

"Well I'm glad I made a good impression then?" Axel's heart was in his throat, beating fast, he was still so nervous and he really had no good reason to be.

"Are you alright? You seem pale," Roxas questioned with a scrutinizing look on his face, he was staring at Axel, boring a hole with his sapphire eyes straight through Axel's forehead.

"Y-yeah.. I. No, no. I'm really not. I don't know what's wrong with me, w-well actually I do, but my therapy isn't working any right now, I need to go," Axel was sweating now, a cold, uncomfortable sweat. He tried to push himself up out of the chair and succeeded for all of thrity seconds before his rubbery legs gave out he plummeted onto Roxas' plush carpet, effectively blacking out.

***

He was cold.

Cold and wet. Like he peed his pants, but his pants were on his face. But that didn't make any sense. You don't wear pants on your face, silly. You wear them to cover your dick which, luckily, wasn't on your face.

Then there were fingers. Long skinny fingers. And voices. Warbly half-heard voices. They faded in and out before they became clearer and Axel started to groggily open his eyes.

"Hey there space cowboy!" Demyx's face was right up in his face and he startled, letting out a yelp of surprise. Demyx grinned. "Nami! Your friend isn't dead!" he called and Axel heard feet against marble. Several pairs of feet. Running.

"Oh my god are you okay!?" Selphie and Namine both shoved their faces in his as they fought for space in his line of vision. "We thought you died!" A hand snaked in and pulled them both back. Xigbar was behind them along with Pence, Marluxia and a couple people he's never seen before.

"Give him breathing space, girls," Xigbar leaned in. "Do I need to call your mom, kid?"

Axel blinked a bit before he started to comprehend the situation and he rubbed his eyes before saying flatly "no, I'm okay. I'm okay," he started to push himself up on his elbows a bit and nodded, "I'm fine. I'm sorry."

"Is he alright?" Axel heard light footsteps as everyone gaped behind them and slowly parted away for Roxas who was walking towards him. Axel paled a little bit but swallowed the feeling down and realized what an ass he's making of himself. He then started to blush a bit. Roxas stood in front of him and held out his hand for the redhead. Axel looked at it, then at Roxas and then back at the hand again before taking and allowing himself to be pulled up. "You gave me a good scare. I thought you were having a seizure."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to," Axel felt the seat sink beside him and he looked up into glittering sapphire eyes. He blinked. Roxas placed a hand on his forehead and then the back of his other hand on his own for comparison. Then he scowled and put his hand on Demyx's forehead for comparison. Demyx grinned. Axel took note that Roxas' hands were very soft, velvety almost. They also smelled like Purell.

"You don't seem to be feverish. But I'm not a very good thermometer right now," he said with a light sniffle. He looked around at all the shocked and concerned faces and clapped his hands. "And what are you all standing around here for? This isn't a peep show. Shoo!" Roxas got up waving his hands at the various people standing around before reaching out and grabbing onto Xigbar's shirt sleeve, holding him in place.

Roxas looked around once everyone was gone. He turned to Xigbar. "I would appreciate it if you took Namine's friends home. And either you or someone else, make up a guest room for Axel. Tell Demyx our appointment in the morning is still a go, and have Marluxia take care of Axel in the morning. I'm going to bed," he looked at Axel. "You sure you're alright?" Axel gave a light nod, not really sure of what's going on. "Fine. I will see you tomorrow. Late morning most likely, if you're not up for breakfast," he nodded at Xigbar who nodded back and they both watched Roxas wander his way upstairs.

"You up to walking, kid?" Xigbar asked. Axel tried to get up but his legs were still like water. Xigbar smiled and hauled him up, pulling an arm over his shoulders and helping him up the stairs.

Xigbar let Axel flop down on king sized bed with the down comforter billowing around him. The older man left the room for a few minutes and returned with a pair of silk pajamas, a toothbrush, and a couple towels tucked under his arm. Axel blinked the confusion away and realized he was having an impromptu sleepover at a gigantic mansion with the freak ass Roxas probably a couple doors over and Namine somewhere else with her friends giggling away at his problems.

"I don't gotta dress you do I? I haven't done that since Roxas and Namine were _little_."

"No, I'm good. I'll change myself even if I have to do it sitting."

"Good to hear, kid, there's a phone next to the bed with a list of numbers and names," Xigbar was setting the pajamas on the bed and the towels and toothbrush on a small table near another door, "if you need anything. And I mean _anything_, you dial my extension and I'll be here. Just pick it up and dial. Nothing fancy. Breakfast is usually at 8:00 but it may be late, if you care to wake up. If not, then get all the rest you need so I don't take you home all weird and broken to your mom. She seemed like a nice lady."

"Thanks," Axel said.

"No problem kid. Sleep tight," and just like that Xigbar was gone.

***

Axel's eyes flung open at god-only-knows-time and he rubbed them. He could see light coming from somewhere, and he knew it had to be daytime. He could actually see his 'bedroom' now that the sun had risen. It looked vaguely similar to what he remembered Roxas' room to look like from last night except it was colored in rich taupes and beiges, much like you would find in a hotel room. He almost didn't want to leave the oversized bed he was so comfortable but after about twenty minutes of protesting with himself, his stomach made a noise like it was time to get up.

Scratching his stomach and running a hand through his hair, Axel wandered around the room and opened the door the towels were sitting by, it was, much to his delight, a bathroom. He took a quick shower, and brushed his teeth, just to be fresh and presentable and padded his way to the large oak door he knew had to lead out to the hallway. As soon as he opened the door, he could hear it and he could smell it.

Dog.

All of a sudden he had two huge paws on his chest, catching him off guard and knocking him backwards onto his butt. The dog was actively sniffing every crevice it could get its face into licking occasionally and at inappropriate times.

"Oh god, Alabaster! Down, get off him!" Namine squealed as a pair of delicate hands wound around the monster's chest and pulling him off Axel.

"Thanks, Namine," he said, pushing himself up. "I didn't know what happened," he blinked a bit. Namine was in her pajamas, lavender silk. He had to smile a bit because her hair was unkempt, stray pieces sticking out of messy half-assed bun from behind her head.

"He gets real excited when new people are here, especially if they sleep here for some reason. He waits outside the guest rooms ready to pounce," she smiled.

"What time is it?" He asked.

"Not sure, all I know is that it's Saturday and I didn't have to wake up any time soon. But wait…" she cupped a hand around her ear and strained to listen. Axel tried to listen for something, anything other than the dog sniffing his legs and feet. "It must be between nine and eleven."

"Why?"

"Roxas is with Demyx."

"What does Roxas do with Demyx?"

Namine only grinned and grabbed his hand leading him down the hall. Slowly there were voices coming to play in his ears.

"Can't we call it an early day, Demyx? My fingers are sore and I'm still ill."

"Stop whining, Rox, it's only about… an hour more."

"Oh my—are you serious?"

"As a heart attack, my love. Now, again."

Then there was music. As Namine pulled Axel down the stairs and through the entryway, and down another hall, the music became stronger and stronger. It was a violin. A really nice violin sound too, like when someone knows how to play it without splitting ears. They stopped walking in front of an open door. It was a music room. There were guitars, violins, a grand piano, cellos and various wind instruments set up around the room on neat stands. And in the giant window across the room from the door was Roxas, perched on a tall stool in front of a music stand with a violin in his hands and under his chin. Demyx was looking at a sheet of music, tapping his foot and a baton in his hand in rhythm with the music. There was an extra chair and another violin on a stand behind him. Roxas had his back to the door and didn't notice the pair, but Demyx's eyes flicked to them and he smiled a bit before laying his eyes on his music again with a serious face.

He waved a hand at the boy. Roxas stopped playing and rolled his neck a bit, loosening up. Demyx came beside the boy and was poking at the music with his baton in a mild voice.

"Here, here and here," point, point and point. "Again." Roxas raised his violin up again and didn't get three notes into the piece when Demyx stopped him, sighed and pulled up his own violin. He played the piece for Roxas, and the difference in their skill was subtle. Roxas had obviously been doing this a very long time.

Axel felt a tug on his sleeve, and he looked at Namine who was watching the two musicians with glittering eyes. She had a timid smile on her lips before she looked up at Axel and smiled wide. "They're so cute together." She turned to watch them for a few more minutes before she suggested coffee, and Axel gladly accepted.

***

They ended up outside again sitting with Axel's loveable stone buddy. But this time, Xigbar was with them.

"How're you feeling, kid?" He had asked.

"I fell really good actually. I think it was the combination of silk PJ's and an awesome mattress," he smiled at Xigbar and took another drag on his cigarette.

Xigbar nodded, and snuffed his cigarette out in Axel's bestest stone friend ever. "Fantastic. Glad to hear it. Wish I could sit here and jaw with you two but I got a brunch to make. We never did get around to breakfast today," he grinned before heading inside.

Axel sipped his coffee. Namine did the same with her tea. The property outside the estate was well manicured and pristine. Hedges were nice and symmetrical and the flower beds were kept tidy with some of the same plants his mother used in her beds. Seasonal flowers that held their color just long enough for the changing of the seasons gently swayed in the light breeze. In the distance he could see two grounds keepers, one clipping at the trees and one digging around in the dirt with very suspicious pink hair. What was that about Marluxia taking care of him this morning? Axel didn't think about it too long, Namine was company enough for him.

"So how'd I do, captain?" Axel quirked at Namine.

"Oh just fine in the freaking-the-shit-out-of-my-little-brother department, but seriously outstanding in the-making-first-contact department," Axel thought it was amusing she knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Yeah well, sorry about that. I don't exactly enjoy doing that."

"I thought it was a clever tactical move on your part. I've not seen Roxas' eyes so big since he was a baby and they barely fit in his face."

Axel had to chuckle, the imagery was too great. "I can imagine."

"You really scared him though. I'm not so sure it was a good or a bad thing but he certainly seems interested to say the least. He told us how you were making him laugh before you flipped out and died on his floor. Now _that_ is impressive."

"What, dying on the floor?"

"No, the laughing part, stupid. Anyone can die."

"But not everyone can make Roxas laugh?"

"Exactly. You're catching on."

"Thanks, I like to think I'm quick like that," he said with a grin.

"So what do you want to do now? You don't have any clean clothes, so we can't really go out, but it's also Saturday so it's a good day to bum around the house anyway. I can have Xigbar or Zexion take you home if you like, too."

"I'm good here. These PJ's are amazing. I feel like I can glide around anywhere in them, I'm not sure I can give them up just yet."

"You can just keep them if you like them so much."

"Really?"

"Sure. We have hundreds of sets between all the guys here," she sipped her tea calmly. "No one would miss them."

"Thanks. But you know, now that you mention it, you do seem to be the only girl here. Well, that Marluxia guy still has me on edge, but still."

Namine giggled a bit. "Oh I know. It's all for Roxas. Our mother wants him to grow up into the perfect gentleman. So all her hired help consists of men who have many redeeming skills and qualities about them whilst they still retain their individuality and uniqueness. You'll notice as well, none of them have any spouses or partners that we're aware of. We don't know or really care what any of their orientations are or anything about their personal lives outside of the house, and that's why they all stick around. It's a good paycheck, they get to do basically what that they like and what they're good at and they can come and go as they please. With the exception of Xigbar, they all have their own homes outside of this estate, some nights they sleep here though. I'm not sure why but Xigbar is Roxas' personal help. When he was younger he needed it but not so much anymore. I guess his attachment to Roxas is what keeps Xigbar around."

"Huh…" Axel snuffed his cigarette out in his buddy before he sipped his coffee waiting for Namine to continue. When she didn't he almost wanted to pry to get her to continue. All of his previous acquaintances were all pretty boring and regular so hearing about this weird family-like situation was sort of refreshing. "So uh, where's your mom now?"

"Oh she's been on a trip with her husband in Aruba for about a week now. We don't expect her back before the twentieth."

"Whoa. That's like… two weeks away. Long trip. So I assume when you say 'her husband' he isn't your father? Feel free to not answer, I know I'm being nosy," but he hoped that she did. She sat quiet for a moment before replying.

"Yeah. Roxas and I are her children from her second marriage. This current guy is her fourth. I don't even really remember the third guy, but he was some weird scientist, and they didn't last long. I have a hard time even now remembering her current husbands' name. They got married in April and I've seen him maybe all of a dozen times. It doesn't really matter I suppose because this is her house from her family's money and her previous husband's money. So even if she gets married six more times, it doesn't change much here. We even have an older brother floating around somewhere. He writes her every other week or so, just to keep in touch, but I heard he's lives with his father – mom's first husband – since his birth basically and is set to inherit his company any time now."

"Oh wow. People still do that? I thought it was all CEO's and managers, and hardly ever family anymore."

Namine shrugged. "I suppose they do." She had a somber tone about her after she finished her little story, "wanna go look at Roxas' naked butt?"

Axel spit out his mouthful of coffee, which made Namine start laughing outright. "What was that all of a sudden?!"

"Baby pictures? If you're lucky I may just let you see mine."

***

The pictures were indeed, those of babies. Toddler Namine and baby Roxas in the bathtub. Baby Namine being fed by Xigbar (which was really disturbing to Axel). Baby Roxas also being fed by Xigbar (also disturbing). Baby Alabaster before he was huge and a ball of hair. First Christmas, first thanksgiving, Namine's first day of school, Roxas looking miserable in front of the Academy, Roxas and some brunette kid Axel had never seen before, then all of a sudden Namine flipped back to naked Roxas running around in all his naked toddler glory in the giant marble foyer. Axel twitched.

"To think Roxas ran around naked like the rest of us… huh. Weird. If I hadn't seen pictures, I probably couldn't picture it. I didn't really _need_ to picture it either, thanks Namine."

"Kids! Brunch!" Xigbar called from somewhere around the corner and probably eight hallways away. Namine closed the album and a picture flew out of the side, Axel tried to catch it before it landed on the floor but he couldn't. He picked it up.

"Awww, lookit that butt," he flipped the picture over so Namine could see. It was a picture of a very infantile Roxas sprawled out on a fluffy shag carpet on his belly looking up at the camera with the biggest most bluest eyes Axel had ever seen on a baby, his swirly peach fuzz hair was barely visible.

"I know! It's my favorite picture of him!" Namine grinned wide and took the picture gingerly before tucking it back in the album and putting it away where they had found it.

Brunch was quick, basic deli sandwiches with eggs on the side and a glass of orange juice. Namine had a banana instead of the eggs but it was brunch all the same. Axel spent the meal making comments to Xigbar about how much hair he had lost over the last twenty years (which totally wasn't true, it was only the color), and Namine giggled right along with whatever Axel was saying, weather it was accurate or not. By the time they were finished with brunch, Roxas was finished with Demyx. Roxas, just like the other two was still basically in his pajamas. He had changed out of the silk top though, in favor for a white oversized t-shirt and… glasses?

"Huh…" Axel said aloud as he and Namine walked past the two musicians with their dirty plates headed for the kitchen.

"Yes?" Roxas asked.

"Nothing, I just didn't expect to see you in glasses, is all."

"I need them for reading, only."

"Noted."

"Roxas," Namine piped from behind Axel.

"Yes?"

"What should we do with our guest?" she asked, suddenly sounding very cute and very suspicious.

"Well what would he like to do?" Roxas asked, as he pulled off his glasses and handed them to Demyx, who produced a case for them, tucked them in and put them back in his pocket.

"Uhh.." Axel stammered. Then he shrugged. He couldn't really look at Roxas now without seeing peach fuzz hair and baby butt. He blushed a little and tried to hold back a snicker. Roxas quirked an eyebrow in question at him before his sister started giggling uncontrollably.

"What did I miss?" Roxas asked.

"Oh nothing," Namine blurted out between giggles. Roxas gave the pair one last odd look before following Demyx into the kitchen presumably for something to eat. Once he was gone the two started cracking up like a couple of middle schoolers. "I think we should go outside and wander around in our pajamas," Namine stated after she calmed down enough to talk.

"Sounds okay to me."

Outdoors was always a good place for Axel to be. It kept his mind clear and the sun always did wonders for his skin. Fall was his favorite time of year with all the fascinating colors and plants. He had his mothers green thumb, and was proud to say he kept a single house plant in his room, of which he has kept alive for a little less than ten years. The grass under his bare feet felt wonderful as the pair wandered around in between pathways of various colorful seasonal bushes and flower beds. Namine plucked an apple off a nearby tree and bit into it but immediately spit it out muttering something about it not being in season just yet.

"Well, the first half of the flower beds are almost always edible. Marluxia likes to put them in salads on occasion, and the back part is mostly shrubbery and evergreen plants and stuff. Along the sides are fruit trees, and over there is a grotto with the pool and a water slide for the warmer weather. The aviary is on the side waaaay over there and the pond is next to it. Everything you see, we own."

"Huh."

"Is it a lot to take in?"

"Yeah. My mom and I only have about a quarter acre to our property and most of it is house. We really only have a front yard. And you've seen all there is to that."

"Can I visit your house sometime?"

Axel shrugged. "I don't see why not."

"Cool. Oh! Look! It's your favorite guy!" Namine exclaimed, pointing in the general direction of a figure headed their way with a very distinct head of pink hair. Axel almost let out a groan. He really got a weird vibe from Marluxia.

"Why hello you two. Nice to see you up and about Axel. How're you feeling?" Marluxia asked as he approached. He had a large basin filled with pulled up clumps of roots and dirt, which Axel could only assume were weeds, with a trowel sticking up out of the clumps. Clad in an apron, sun hat, and gardening gloves, and dirt smudged on his face he reminded Axel of his mother, which made him shudder a bit.

"I'm fine. Thanks."

"Xigbar said that Roxas said you and I have an appointment today."

"Dunno what that's all about," Axel said with a shrug.

"Yes well. Let me ask. How do you feel about being naked before me, covered in oil?"

Axel's eyes grew wide and he sputtered a bit and blushed, "uh… uncomfortable, why?" Namine giggled beside him and Axel had the urge to kick her in the shin.

"Then don't worry about it. But if you need anything, let me know," he winked at Axel before nodding to Namine with a smile and walking on past them towards the house.

Axel looked at Namine who started to laugh. "You should see your face, Axel."

"What exactly does he do? You need to give me a heads up before he comes around again, I fear for the integrity of my ass."

Namine was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. She took a couple of deep breaths; trying her best not to look at Axel's stunned expression before she answered. "Well he's one of the groundskeepers for one. And two, he was first hired for Roxas when he shattered his leg playing baseball about four years ago. He needed serious physical therapy and Marluxia was his masseuse. He also does acupuncture but I've never tried it. Selphie swears by him though. She _loves_ his hands. She knows he's probably as gay as springtime with extra rainbow sprinkles but she can't help herself. He was really good for my ankle too about a year and a half ago when I twisted it ice skating. He really likes plants and is into all that organic and herbal stuff. He's very good about making his intentions known before he goes about doing his thing with you though. You _will_ be naked in front of him, and you _will_ be covered in oil. If you can't think about it happening comfortably then he doesn't push the subject."

"Oh…" Axel still felt queasy.

"Don't worry about it. He's really harmless. It's not like he's going to jump you with a giant scythe or something."

"If you say so," Axel said with a sigh. There was a crunch of grass from behind them, they turned to see who it was. It was Roxas, calmly walking up behind them, Namine smiled at him.

"Hey, Roxas."

"Hello. Axel, do you like our grounds? I do."

"Uh well, I haven't really gotten to see them per se. We were going to make our way back there but we were sidetracked by Marluxia for a minute."

"I see. Well, I'll join you for a walk then if you don't mind. I need to stretch some. Shall we?" he said simply, taking a place next to his sister and idly grabbing for her hand before they started walking together in step, at the same pace. Axel couldn't help but smile a bit at the obvious bond they shared and wondered what he was missing as the third wheel.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

They stopped in front of what looked like and enormous greenhouse, except a section of the domed glass roof was made of some sort of solid material; Axel couldn't tell what it was from the ground. Through the glass walls, he could see countless amounts of plants, vines and small trees. It was all very tropical and very colorful.

Namine pushed open a large glass door and the two boys followed her inside through a short hall and through another door. As the door clicked closed behind them Axel found it hard to breathe. It was muggy and humid inside, almost stifling.

"You will get used to it," Roxas chimed, noting on Axels disgruntled look.

Namine walked ahead of the boys, whistling a short staccato tune over and over. Roxas nodded at Axel before he started to walk in the opposite direction of his sister and started whistling a tune as well but his consisted of long notes versus Namine's short ones. There was a soft sound of movement as a nearby low branch crashed lightly against another before a scarlet macaw poked its head out through the curtain of vegetation. Namine held her arm out for it and it wandered a few inches down its branch before taking a tentative hop onto her arm. Roxas had disappeared further into the aviary, only his whistling could be heard.

"This is Mary," Namine said, bringing the bird close to Axel. It sat quietly on her arm, observing Axel, turning its head this was and that, to get a full look of him. Namine smiled. "Somewhere around here, is Joseph."

"Mary and Joseph, huh?" Axel said.

"Yes, every couple years or so, Mary and Joseph have a small clutch of eggs. The babies hatch and we donate them to a zoo after they're old enough for transport. They've only had four chicks survive though out of a dozen or so eggs. They're miracles for their species."

"You two look after them yourselves?" Axel asked, already half-knowing the answer. In the distance, Roxas' whistling stopped.

"No, we only visit and play with them. Zexion is their actual caretaker," overhead, automated sprayers clicked on and the ceiling fogged in a light mist. Namine was petting Mary's back idly when Roxas joined them with another scarlet macaw on his arm.

"This is—"

"Joseph," Axel interjected with a smile.

"Yes, he is the more social of the two. Would you like to hold him?" he held his arm out, the bird stared at Axel with beady eyes.

Axel smiled and held his arm out of the bird. Joseph put one foot forward before stepping back and outstretching the other foot. Apparently the bird was very indecisive. Once he stepped off his arm, Roxas walked back next to the entrance and, in a very kitchen-like area, opened a full size refrigerator and returned with a small bunch of grapes. He handed some to Namine for Mary before handing the rest to Axel. Meanwhile the bird had moved up his arm and was idly chewing on a lock of his hair.

"What do you think?" Roxas asked.

"Well… I like everything I see, it's all very nice—" he was interrupted when Joseph pulled a little too hard on his hair, Axel winced. Roxas moved forward and reached up to release the hair from the giant beak and clicked his tongue a few times, holding out a grape. The bird gladly took the food. "Thanks."

"This is my favorite facility on our property," Roxas stated "I can get lost in here for hours and not get bored."

"I can see why. It's huge." Axel heard a soft click and the trio turned to see a man with slate colored hair come through the door followed by Marluxia who was no longer dressed like Axel's mother. They both stopped walking when they saw the three of them.

"Hello," said the newcomer, Marluxia simply waved with a smile.

"Zexion, Marluxia," Roxas said to them in greeting.

"Hello, Roxas," they said in sync.

"Are you enjoying the birds, Axel?" Marluxia asked, Zexion had left at 'Roxas' and was going though the cabinets in the small kitchen area. "They're almost better than people, wouldn't you agree?"

"Well, I wouldn't go that far really, but they are pretty," Namine walked past Axel birdless. In the distance there was a light swish amongst the plants. Apparently Mary had had enough. She tossed the empty grape vine in a bin labeled 'compost.'

"Excuse me," Zexion had appeared to the side of Axel and was holding his arm out for the bird. He clicked his tongue and the bird stepped off Axel, still clutching a grape in its beak. He walked over to the kitchen again where a perch had been set on one of the cabinets. Joseph stepped off and stood still for Zexion, who poked and prodded at the animal in all manner of ways. Joseph didn't seem to care at all only switching his footing when he needed and held the half eaten grape in his foot when Zexion need to look in his mouth. Marluxia was retrieving a large pair of sheers and a pair of weird boots from one of the cabinets and turned to the trio and nodded before heading into the foliage.

"What are you doing Zexion?" Axel called.

"It's Saturday, it's checkup day for Joseph."

"Oh," and that was that.

"I'm going to go wander," Namine said before walking past them all and into the forest. Axel looked at Roxas.

"Now what?"

"Well, we could continue walking in here or we could head back outside."

"What, and leave Namine here?"

"She _does_ live here. She knows how to get back to the manor."

"Well, I'm not really sure what I want to do. You decide."

"Follow me."

Roxas held open a patch of vegetation and vines and Axel stepped inside. They walked farther in together, passing Marluxia who was wedged in between two small trees, his legs splayed apart one on either trunk with the weird boots on. The soles had spikes on them and they kept him from sliding down the trunks as he was clipping away at large coils of vines up above; Axel figured he had to be a good eight feet up. He couldn't help but wonder how he went from looking like his mother to looking like a lumberjack so easily, but he followed Roxas past without uttering a word.

They walked in silence for a moment before Roxas stopped suddenly, causing Axel to nearly crash into him. In front of them was a five foot by six foot wide rock pond complete with a three foot high waterfall. There were two perches jutting out from the top half of the pond before the falls and Mary was sitting on one, drinking. She left before the boys could get any closer.

"My favorite spot within my favorite facility. Reading here is certainly a joy," Roxas said before moving to sit on one of the large rocks at the base next to the falls. He stuck his hand into the waterfall just barely, letting the water seep through his fingers. Axel looked around at the vegetation before sitting on another rock, opposite from Roxas. The sun was high and the light came through and lit up Roxas' face in a way that made his eyes glitter and turn aquamarine. Axel watched as they moved ever so slightly back and fourth, watching the water fall through his fingers; Roxas looked thoughtful.

They sat silent for a time before Axel said "you look like you have something on your mind."

Roxas swallowed and pursed his lips "perhaps, but it really isn't very important." He looked at Axel then, "are you enjoying your stay? It isn't very often that I personally entertain anyone so I'm concerned." Axel noted the quick change in subject.

He nodded "I am. I've never been to a place like this. Your place. Your house. Everything. Yeah," Axel was tripping over his words. He was tense but was trying to mentally talk himself down from his anxiety. He hated one-on-ones like this, and couldn't smoke inside the aviary. He wrung his hands before trying to concentrate on a spot hear the base of a tree.

Roxas looked Axel over questionably but he was too polite to ask about his apparent nervousness, "it's a relief to hear you say that."

"Y-yeah," Axel said quietly.

Roxas couldn't let his guest pass out again, especially not with all the rocks and water around _that_ would certainly be a disaster. "I can leave if you wish. I can see I make you nervous," Axel whipped around to face him, a dejected look on his face on top of the nervousness.

"S-sorry. I don't mean to. You don't have to go anywhere. I'm not good with one-on-ones. I've been this way since my dad died," Axel blurted before wringing his hands again. Roxas quirked a questioning brow at him and Axel flushed a bit before apologizing "sorry again, the words just fell out before I could help myself. You didn't need to know all that."

"I'm sorry for your loss. If it makes you feel better, I can sit here and listen if you need to talk in order to feel comfortable."

Axel shook his head, "no, it's okay. I'm fine." He closed his eyes and breathed a deep breath, trying to focus on the sound of the water. He much preferred the sound of a campfire for white noise, but water will do in a pinch.

"Suit yourself," there was a light crunching before Namine appeared through a tangle of vines, looking a little flush.

"I found you!" she said with a grin. Axel sighed.

"Took you long enough," he said teasingly. Roxas noted Axel's change of demeanor.

Namine gaped "we were only apart for fifteen minutes! Did you really miss me that much?" Roxas stood and brushed off his pajama bottoms. Axel followed suit before all three of them weaved their way through the thick foliage. They didn't see Zexion or Marluxia on their way out.

"Ah, fresh air," Axel breathed in the crisp air before shivering a bit. It was notably colder outside the aviary than in.

"Well," Namine said, she and her brother were unfazed by the change in climate it seemed "the pond is pretty basic, nothing outstanding you can even see it from here. Other than that we've pretty much seen all we have out here." She turned to Axel, "got any ideas of what to do?" Axel shrugged. There was a sudden burst of upbeat pop music and Namine dug in the pocket of her lavender silk pants and retrieved her cell phone. Axel stuck his hands in his sides and discovered his had pockets too. Huh.

"Yeeeesss?" Namine drawled with a giggle into the phone. "I don't know let me ask" she cupped her hand over the receiver "you guys hungry? Demmy says it's around one and he can make lunch for us." Roxas shrugged a bit before shaking his head. Axel wasn't hungry either. "No, Demmy they aren't hungry. Me either really. Uh-huh. Okay we well. We're heading back to the house anyway. 'Kay bye."

"What did he need?" Roxas asked.

"Aside from lunch? He wanted us to tell Marluxia and Zexion to head in if we saw them."

"I see. One o'clock did you say? I should study some before meeting with Xaldin."

"Right," she replied "let's head back then."

When they reached the back door of the manor, Axel instinctively searched his pockets for his cigarettes but found none. He remembered he had bummed one off Xigbar earlier and cursed himself for being unsure of where his room was. Namine giggled at him and lead him back to his room.

"Maybe we should get dressed. I need to at least brush my hair into something better than this horrendous thing," Namine reached up and touched her bun. "Meet you in the hall in five," she said before leaving Axel to his room. When he went for his clothes, they were warm and folded neatly on the bed. He smelled the armpit of his t-shirt. It didn't smell like he had been playing baseball in it. He smiled, quietly thanking whoever did his laundry for him and got dressed. He ran his fingers through his hair a few times in the mirror to adjust it. He found a small leaf tucked in his locks and he picked it out before leaving his room. Namine was closing her bedroom door as he reached the hall.

"What next?" Axel asked.

"Well I see your clothes are clean."

"Yeah, and they smell like roses."

"Ah. I don't know who picked that scent out, I like mine to smell like lavender. Maybe they thought roses matched your hair," she quipped smiling at Axels look he gave her.

"You guys customize your laundry?"

"Well, they started to get serious about it when Roxas and I figured out we have the same size feet more or less. We kept getting our socks mixed up in the wash and one of us would get back way more than the other. So, you give them a quick sniff and the problem's solved. Everything goes in the wash together but needs to be sorted once it's dry, and no, our underwear never gets mixed up."

"That was my next question," he said with a grin.

"It's everyone's," she smiled back.

***

They ended up in a lower level of the house. The room they entered was longer than it was wide but it was very very tall. Namine flipped open a console hidden in the mahogany paneling and pushed a couple buttons before the farthest wall started to move upwards like a garage door to reveal a giant theatre screen. Axel had made a comment on how huge it was and they made themselves comfortable on a long leather sofa. Namine reached under her seat a pulled up a tablet that was plugged into the couch and poked the screen with her finger before handing it over to Axel. It was a menu with a list.

"Scroll through and pick a movie. Just touch the sides to scroll down, or hit the search box for a keyboard, or if you'd rather just hit the 'TV' button on the bottom and pick a channel."

Axel held the thing for a minute like it was an alien before poking at it a few times. He tried to figure out a movie he wanted to watch but couldn't decide on just one from the impressive library they had so he settled on 'TV'. The screen blinked on to the Discovery Channel. The tablet blinked and switched to an oversized remote control-like interface. Axel shrugged. He liked the Discovery Channel enough, and handed the tablet back to Namine who pushed a button and flung it onto the seat between them.

"Is this the only television you guys have? Not that you need any more."

"Naw, Xigbar, Roxas and I all have our own in our rooms, though Roxas has a layer of dust on his like you wouldn't believe. He likes this one."

"Not hard to figure out why."

After a couple of hours of semi-educational television, the pair decided they were getting hungry. Namine suggested they go out to get something light before dinner and Axel agreed. On their way out and down the long hallway towards the stairs Axel stopped in front of an open door that either wasn't open before, or Axel didn't notice until now. He stuck his head inside out of curiosity to see the wide expanse of a gym with various types of workout equipment and an open area with a stereo and yoga mats spread out.

Roxas, along with a very tall and muscular man with black dreadlocks were jogging on side-by-side treadmills at an even pace. Axel blinked at the new sight. The pair were wearing matching black and red jersey shorts that flapped around their legs as they ran. Both were topless as well. Axel blinked. Roxas' back glistened with sweat as he ran; panting only lightly. It was a new sight for Axel, having never seen Roxas move so much before and he blushed a little when he realized he was staring. The large man glanced at his watch before muttering over to his partner, Roxas nodded and kept going.

"What'cha watching?" Namine asked. Axel jumped a little, having forgotten she was there.

"Who's that guy?"

"Xaldin. Roxas' physical therapist and workout buddy so it would seem."

"You didn't know they worked out?"

"Well I never watched but for a long time after his injury, I know Roxas was only able to do water therapy," she pointed and Axel looked in that direction. There was a small narrow pool at the opposite end of the gym. He nodded.

"Apparently he graduated."

They turned when they heard Roxas pant "Xaldin, I need to stop…" he was stepping off the treadmill as it rolled to a stop. Xaldin looked over and hauled himself off his own and handed Roxas a bottle of water. He didn't drink any, but he walked over to a nearby chair and sat with a pained look on his face, his face flushed and glittering with sweat. Xaldin knelt in front of the boy and was talking quietly, pulling Roxas' left leg out and giving it a feel in a few places before Roxas nodded and muttered something back to him. Axel noticed a wide, crevice of a scar that ran from mid-calf on the blonds' leg and up into the leg of his baggy shorts. They exchanged some quiet dialogue before Xaldin dug into his pocket and pulled out a Blackberry and stylus, and tapped away at the screen. Roxas finally took a drink of water and glanced at the doorway.

"You may come in, though you may not want to get near me," Roxas said and Xaldin let out an amused snort.

"I will agree you have a bit of a smell about you, Rox," the man said.

"You'll have that," Roxas replied as Axel and Namine stepped inside and stood a short distance away.

"How's your leg?" Namine asked her brother.

"It's pinching. The whole thing isn't sore, but a very distinct pinch in one place. Xaldin thinks a pin is slipping loose and poking me."

"Yuck."

"I agree."

"Can I ask what happened?" Axel asked shyly, not sure if it was a rough subject.

"A very angry batter took a bat to my leg," Roxas said plainly, taking a sip of his water. He didn't elaborate so Axel left it alone.

"Holy shit."

"You're telling me."

He looked at Namine. "You said it was an accident, this morning."

She shrugged, "it isn't my story to tell."

Xaldin was handing Roxas his shirt when the blonde stood, switching his weight to either leg before hefting up his gym bag and looking at the pair, not bothering with the shirt. Axel watched the action with a careful gaze, he cursed himself mentally taking in the fact that Roxas was in _far_ better shape than he was, despite their size and body shape difference. Sure, Axel wasn't hugely fat or anything but Roxas definitely had the better muscle tone. He was sporting a subtle six pack and the muscles in his arms stood out when he moved his gym bag around on his shoulder. The redheads eyes lingered a little too long on the boys nipples before he started to blush lightly and looked to the side.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to shower."

"Axel and I were going to get smoothies in a little, did you want to come? We can wait," Namine questioned.

Roxas looked thoughtful for a minute then he nodded, "that would be nice. If you would be so kind, I'll only be ten minutes."

"Sure."

***

"Do you guys _ever_ drive yourselves anywhere?" Axel asked the siblings as they sat at in a booth in a nearby smoothie place in town. They both stopped sipping their matching strawberry-banana smoothies and replied in sync.

"We can but choose not to," they looked, a little surprised, at each other before going back to their straws.

"What's the matter, kid, don't like my company?" Xigbar asked, setting his glass of water on the table and giving Axel a feigned 'my feelings are terribly hurt' look. Axel grinned.

"Aw, don't be sad, Xigbar you can't help you're too old for me." Namine giggled and Roxas smiled a bit, watching the two.

"Kid I don't even _want_ anything you're giving out," Xigbar retorted with a snort, nudging Axel with his elbow. Axel laughed punched him in the shoulder, which caused Xigbar to laugh a little more.

As Axel went back to his kiwi smoothie, he couldn't help but think about the last two days and his newfound friends. It all seemed a little rushed when he really thought about it but he was happy all the same. He was excited to tell his mom that finally, _finally_, he was able to make some friends after so many years of being by himself. He hoped that when he returned home that evening that they wouldn't blow away in the wind like so many other fleeting relationships he had had in the past. Then he had a thought.

"So, Namine. You asked earlier when you could come visit my place. When should we make a date? Roxas, Xigbar, you could come too if you want," Axel offered.

"Weeeell…" Namine said, looking thoughtful. She looked to Roxas who was stirring his smoothie with his straw, he shrugged.

"I'll let you decide, you know my schedule."

"Don't forget Xaldin scheduled you an appointment for Tuesday, Roxas," Xigbar added. Roxas nodded to him in recognition.

"My first opening in conjunction with Roxas would be Wednesday then," Namine said, "Wednesday evening."

"Perfect, I work the day shift that day," Axel agreed.

"Oh that's right! I forgot you had a job," Namine quipped, the subject of working for your money an obvious loss on her. "Where?"

"Here," he said simply. The group all stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him. Axel grinned. "What, you all thought I got a free smoothie because I'm just _that_ hot?"

Xigbar snorted "so you wear the dopey orange polo with the polka dotted nametag too?"

"Yep."

"Wow kid. That's hilarious. Not a bad place though, mostly cute young girls working here," Xigbar grunted as Namine kicked his shin under the table.

"Don't be a creeper, Xiggy."

***

Dinner came and went, and soon Axel was standing in front of his mothers' house receiving a goodbye hug from Namine and a handshake from Roxas. Once in the house, he sighed heavily, leaning against the front door. Though he had enjoyed himself, the time with his new friends was taxing, trying to keep his anxieties in check. Before Axel could reflect on it any further his mothers' arms were wrapped around his neck, pulling him forward for a kiss on the cheek.

"Welcome home baby! I'm so happy you stayed out as long as you did!" she said cheerfully when he bent to hug her back tightly.

"I'm happy I did too, ma."

"How're you feeling? Are you alright? No jitters I hope?"

"Well, there were a couple times where it was a little touch and go, but it was fine otherwise." Axel conveniently left out his passing out in Roxas' room.

His mother pulled him into their tiny living room and plopped them both down on the couch. "I'm listening, I want to hear_ all_ about it!" she said cheerfully. Axel told her everything, how creeped out by Roxas he was, the house, the property, the aviary, the food, and all the people. His mother looked a little overwhelmed when he finished.

"I know that house," she said simply.

"You do? Really?"

"Yes! Their mother must be Larxene, Larxene Meadows. She and I were classmates in our early years. Oh how the time flies… three children? I never pegged Larxie for the child-rearing type," his mother looked thoughtful. "You say Namine and Roxas are coming over on Wednesday?" Axel didn't bother telling her about inviting Xigbar, he had declined the invitation anyway. He nodded.

"Well you better get to cleaning the hell out of your room now shouldn't you?" Axel rolled his eyes with a sigh already dreading the heap of laundry in the middle of his floor.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"So do you really think you'll be alright, Roxas?" Sora said, closing his locker and hefting a bundle of books into his book bag.

Roxas shrugged, "I'm not sure. I've never really forced myself out of my comfort zone before. It's been all too easy to stay in the lap of luxury and lets things slide past without so much as a second glance. Namine is more excited than I am."

"Why is she even going anyway? You said she was trying to get that guy to be _your_ friend, not the other way around."

"Well that would be a little selfish wouldn't you say? There isn't a law against siblings sharing friends, is there?"

"Well, I only just hope it doesn't turn into another Riku incident."

Roxas shuddered visibly at the memories. He had come home from his lessons a little over a year ago and found his sister and her new 'friend' having sex in his bed; they were both horrendously drunk and ended up passing out for the remainder of the evening in his room, Roxas ended up sleeping in a guest bed. He had replaced almost his entire bed the next day. "Perish the thought," he said, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands to will the sight away.

"Just keep an eye out for any signs. My doors are always open for you, if you need them."

"I appreciate the gesture, I may need too if Axel doesn't stop sticking to her like they're Siamese twins."

"Well the best way to change that would to be more sociable towards him, wouldn't you agree? Namine is the most approachable one in your family by far. Your mother scares me to death, and it took me weeks to get used to you," Sora said with a light smile, hoping to not offend his schoolmate.

Roxas gave him a sideways glare and Sora smiled wider. "Yes yes, I know."

"I'm only saying this for your own good, Roxas. You need to make at least a couple friends outside of this Academy before we graduate. I'm shipping off to New York to work for my father's company and to go to University if you recall, I won't be here to be your social crutch," the brunette said flatly, giving his friend a hard stare to show he was being serious. The two boys started walking towards the entrance of the school building, Sora waved to a few passerby's with a bright smile and a couple 'see you laters' and Roxas walked silently with his eyes to the floor as usual, his back slumped a bit.

Roxas let out a surprised yelp as he felt a hand press on his back suddenly, straightening his posture and he turned to see a very serious looking female teacher boring a hole into his face with her piercing gaze. "Posture, Mr. Meadows," she reminded him. He nodded.

"Yes ma'am," he said spiritlessly.

Sora smiled after they were a few feet away from the schoolmarm and nudged Roxas with his elbow. "Haven't had one of those for a while, yeah?" he laughed a little when Roxas glared at him.

The sun was still bright but lowering behind the tree line when the pair emerged from the building. Winter was coming, Roxas noted, the days were becoming shorter. Selphie was waving wildly for her brother as she stood next to the family car and Sora waved to her before saying his goodbyes to Roxas and heading off. The blonde surveyed the crowd for Xigbar's distinct salt and pepper hair before he realized the older man was nowhere to be seen. Instead, in their usual parking spot he saw his sister standing by her cherry colored Mercedes Roadster, the top was down.

"Really, we're going to show up in _this_?" Roxas questioned as he approached, "don't you think it's a bit much?"

"What? I like my car. What's wrong with it?" Namine asked, giving her convertible the once-over. Roxas sighed.

"You're going to give him a nosebleed."

Namine giggled, "you think so? Should we go back and get yours?"

"We would be late if we did that. Axel said dinner was at five," he glanced at his watch. "Though it is only a little after four…"

"What? You're serious? Oh come on Roxxy!" she pleaded, "let me brag a little. I _love_ my baby." Namine ran a hand over the door before bending down and giving the vehicle a light hug. "I know Axel would love her too. Do you really want to deny their love and possible Axel-car hybrid babies?"

Roxas gave his sister a disgruntled look, his head was swimming with the weird visions that last statement had given him. He sighed and shook his head. "Fine."

He moved around to the passenger seat and tossed his book bag in front before opening the door and plopping himself down. He tried his best to scrunch himself down in the seat so the wind wouldn't give him whiplash like he was expecting from the open top. He was a little thankful the weather was nice enough to drive like thing, he had a feeling his sister would insist on taking her car even if it was hailing.

They drove in relative silence, the quiet only being broken by Namine fussing at Roxas' posture, complaining that he looked like he was an uptight old man with the sour look on his face. It wasn't long before they were pulling into Axel's driveway, at a quarter to four. The door opened and Axel stepped out with a dish and a towel in his hand, drying it absently before going wide-eyed once he caught sight of the car.

"Do you love it!?" Namine squealed, jogging up the front pathway to the base of the porch steps, her stiletto heels clicking along loudly. Roxas was left to his own devices in the front seat, he was pulling his sweater pullover off and taking off his tie and school brooch and stuffing them into the book bag. Undoing the top button of his button down white shirt, he stepped out of the car and closed the door quietly.

"Baby? Are your friends here? Good lord—" Axel's mother had come through the front door and was gawking at the car along with her son. "What a beautiful car!" she said gleefully, stepping past Axel and down the stairs to meet Namine. They shook hands before Namine made a face and threw her arms around the woman, hugging her tightly.

"Hello Axel's Mom," Namine said with a grin.

"You can call me Gloria, sweetie. I can only guess that you're Namine and so that must be Roxas," she said, pointing towards the blonde who was walking towards them.

"Yes ma'am I am," Roxas said simply, "pleased to meet you." He gave Gloria a pleasant smile before reaching for her hand and planting a light kiss on the backs of her fingers. Gloria laughed before pulling Roxas into a giant bear hug. Roxas let out a surprised grunt, unable to hug her back with his trapped arms. Namine giggled.

"You're such a polite young man! I can't help but want to hug you. Both of you please! Come in!" the mother said, turning before realizing that Axel had disappeared. He reemerged from the house, idly wiping at his nose with a tissue. When he stopped he gave the group a sheepish grin, the tissue coming away with specks of blood.

"Sorry about that you guys," he said. Namine smiled at him.

"You think she's hot right? I like her too."

"Yeah, it isn't what I expected that's for sure. I believe you now when you say you know how to drive."

The group stopped in the small entryway of the bungalow and Namine cooed over how dainty and cozy the house was, Roxas simply stood next to her looking around. Gloria had disappeared into the kitchen and there was a light clinking and clacking of dishes to be heard shortly thereafter.

"Well, this is my house," Axel said simply with a light shrug.

"I like it, it actually looks like people live here," Namine said with a warm smile. Axel smiled back and looked at Roxas.

"You okay?"

Roxas looked like he was in a daze before blinking a few times and turning his attention away from the pictures on the buttery walls. "Hm? Oh yes, I'm fine. I was just admiring the photos."

Axel rubbed the back of his head and chuckled lightly before they trio moved to face the wall head on. In simple frames there was a small montage of photos spread out in an asymmetrical way on the yellow wall. A family photo of Axel and his parents was the largest and in the middle of a grouping that consisted of a couple wedding photos and photos of Axel in varying stages of his childhood. The most bright and prominent of them was a photo of Axel when he was maybe a year old, sitting in front of a premade studio back drop in overalls and a t-shirt, his fiery tuft of hair standing up perfectly straight before flopping to one said lazily. Namine squealed when she saw it.

"That one's my favorite!" she said pointing to it.

"Mom says I was pretty much bald for the first four years of my life. So whenever I grew hair, they just let it go and do whatever it wanted."

Namine laughed lightly, Roxas was silent with a blank look, staring at the montage. Namine and Axel shrugged at each other before they all headed off for the tour of the tiny abode, Namine making weird noises at anything she thought was cute or special and Roxas following a short distance behind him, hands crossed behind his back with a placid face.

"And down the stairs here is my room," Axel said as they wandered down a set of narrow steps into the basement. The ceiling was lower than the rest of the house, about only six and a half feet versus the standard eight but to its credit it was a nicely finished basement with a small bathroom with a shower. The only major downfall down here, Axel made a point of saying, was that the laundry was also down here so a couple days a week he had limited privacy. The advantage was, though, that the ceiling was soundproofed so his mother didn't have to listen to his video games, movies or music. Namine decided she saw something interesting across the way and waved her way to a large aquarium and put her face so close to the glass that Axel thought he might have to break out the Windex to get her face-print off.

She made a curious noise as she watched the various colorful but non-tropical fish swim about in and out of their plastic rocks and plants. At the top of the waterline, an oversized goldfish was bobbing up and down, occasionally burping out a few bubbles.

"That's Gerard," Axel said simply, which garnered a laugh from Namine.

"Nice name."

"I know, he was only supposed to live a couple years but he's been around for almost five. They must be feeding the fish steroids or something at the pet store."

"And who are they?" Roxas piped at an opposite wall, looking into another aquarium that carried a few hermit crabs in it. Namine and Axel turned to face him and Namine immediately blew past the redhead to join her brother.

"Oh well, the one in the greenish shell is MacArthur, the one with Spiderman painted on it is General Patton and the one in the redish speckled shell in the corner there is Robert E. Lee."

"Wow, very… historical," Namine said giggling at little, Axel smiled. The terrarium was mostly open space lined with coconut fiber for the crabs to scuttle around on, they had a couple of chunks of wood to climb if they cared too, a plastic cave to sleep in, a water and food dish and a few extra shells tossed around. There was also a plastic tank settled in the corner of which Robert E. Lee was settled on.

"You don't have any other pets?" Roxas asked.

"No, my mom's allergic to most things with fur."

"That's a good reason."

"Yeah."

Axel's mother called them up for dinner. The four of them sat around the small dining table just outside the kitchen and talked idle chit-chat about nothing in particular. Axel had to nudge his mom with his leg a couple times under the table when he caught her staring at Roxas' eating habits. She blushed, a little embarrassed with herself though Axel couldn't blame her. He had done the same thing.

"So, did Axel tell you two that I knew your mother in elementary school?"

Namine and Roxas both stopped eating and looked at her with surprise. "No," they said in sync.

"Oh yeah, Larxene and I go way back, though I doubt she remembers me at this point, we fell out of touch around eighth grade when she transferred to Trinity."

"Small world yeah?" Namine quipped.

"It certainly is," Roxas added.

***

Axel was sitting on the front stoop, lighting a smoke when he heard the door open behind him. A pair of shiny white loafers appeared next to him. He could hear the distant chatting of the women inside fade away as the door closed.

"Mind if I sit with you?" Roxas asked. Axel nodded and Roxas took a seat next to him. "Your mother is a very kind woman. Thank you for inviting us over."

"No problem. I figured it was the least I could do for you guys. You all were so hospitable," he flicked some ash in front of him.

"You're welcome back any time; hopefully soon," Roxas said and Axel glanced at him out the corner of his eye. Roxas cleared his throat and swallowed. Nervousness? Roxas?

"Well this weekend is open for me…"

"Namine is busy this weekend."

"Well there isn't any rule saying _we_ couldn't hang out together is there?" Axel surprised himself, wondering why he was offering the exact situations that made him flip out so easily.

"I suppose not. I'm afraid I'm fairly bland company though."

"No you're not."

"You don't have to lie."

"I'm serious."

Roxas gave the redhead a sideways glance. "If you insist. What did you have in mind for us?"

"Good question. We could go to the park, or see a movie. The batting cages are still open if you want to smack a ball or two around," he turned to snuff the cigarette out on the concrete step.

"I like baseball," Roxas said, the end of the sentence trailing off a little.

"Well, we could do that. I don't mind."

"I would need to ask Xaldin before I do anything physical like that; twisting my leg to swing may not be a good idea."

"Oh yeah, I didn't think about that. How's your leg feeling anyway? Better? Not so good?"

"I had an appointment with my doctor yesterday and he took a few x-rays. A pin is indeed slipping though only slightly. If it gets any worse he may have to go back in and tighten things up, which would set my physical therapy back substantially."

"Oh man, that sucks."

"I agree."

"Well look at it this way, soon, you'll get better, and then eventually we'll be able to play a legitimate game. I'm sure of it."

"I'd like that, Axel."

"Good, me too."

The door opened behind them and the boys turned to see Axel's mother with a wide smile on her face, her eyes glistening and Namine with a grin.

"We should get going Roxas," Namine said. "You have to study still and have school in the morning."

"Right."

"Aw, well I'm glad I got to meet both of you, and when you see your mother again, let her know I said hello," Axel's mother said, giving each sibling a hug before she stood next to Axel waving as they pulled away in Namine's cherry Roadster.

After the pair had sped away, the mother looked to the son before tears of joy sprang fourth and she wrapped him in a bear hug, Axel only being able to utter a grunt as the oxygen left him in a rush.

After a minute of squeezing, they both went back into the house. They cleaned the dishes in silence, though his mother had a grin on her face the entire time and he knew what she was thinking. He was happy for himself too. After the dishes, he kissed his mother on the cheek and descended into his room and plopped onto his bed to flip through the latest issue of his favorite car magazine that had come in the mail that morning. His eyelids became heavier and heavier after a while until he finally succumbed to the darkness.

It wasn't long before Axel was jolted awake by the shrill ringing of their home telephone. He groaned to himself and let his mother pick it up. He was about to drift off again when he heard a crash from upstairs and jumped out his bed still only half-awake and sprinted upstairs to find his mother had fallen backwards out of the small chair they kept next to the telephone, the receiver itself was hanging freely from the wall. His mother had a look of sheer terror on her face before she slowly started to break down and sob. She held her face in her hands and half-shrieked half-cried. Axel went to her side, utterly confused.

"Ma! Whats wrong!?" he said, taking his broken mother in his arms, starting to panic, she buried her face in his chest and clung to his shirt for a minute, unable to talk though her terrified tears.

"Th-they called back, baby."

***

"You alright Rox?" Xaldin called as Roxas took his first swing effectively cracking the bat against an oncoming baseball, sending it flying. The blonde turned and nodded at him. Axel was in another cage on the other side of Roxas, waiting for his machine to toss one his way. Apparently he got the gimpy one and it was having technical difficulties. He saw a thumbs up appear over the machine from the technician and a green light blinked on, telling Axel it was ready.

It was a brisk Saturday and the boys were both wearing long sleeves and jeans under their windbreakers, Axel found it to be a little too stifling to swing a bat dressed like this but was thankful for it all when the wind picked up and turned the tops of his ears a light rose. After smacking a couple balls out of the cage, he heard another_ crack_ from his neighbor's cage followed by a pained hiss as Roxas dropped his bat and trotted around in a little circle trying to walk off the pain in his leg.

Axel stopped and pressed the shutoff button behind him and the green light of his machine went off. He stuck his fingers through the chain link between them giving Roxas a concerned look.

"Are you okay?"

Roxas panted a second before responding, "I just had a very rough pinch, I'm fine, I'm fine," he insisted as a ball flew past the pair and Roxas jumped a little in surprise as it smacked into the back of his cage. He reached up and hit the shutoff button. Xaldin was next to him, looking concerned, and started to usher the blonde over to the car.

"Same place?" Xaldin asked with his arm up Roxas' pant leg feeling the boy's calf. Axel leaned up against the car and lit up a cigarette, waiting patiently and feeling partly responsible.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have offered," he said after a few minutes.

"Don't feel bad, I thought it would've been fine too," Xaldin said, Roxas nodded in agreement. "We should head back for today, though. Hop in," he instructed.

Axel tossed his cigarette and sat quietly in the back of the Lincoln with Roxas, neither boy really having any idea of what to say. Axel's mind stared to drift. He thought back to the night a few days ago, having to hold his mother in his arms for nearly forty five minutes before she would stand and go to bed. She didn't have the energy to explain to him who had called and she didn't seem to be upset in the morning so Axel didn't push it on her, but man was he curious. He furrowed his brows before sighing heavily and rubbed at them with his thumb and forefinger.

"We can go back and you can finish your session if it upsets you so much, Axel," Roxas piped from a seat away. Axel looked at him.

"Oh no, sorry, that's not the problem. I was thinking about something else."

"I see," Roxas didn't pry any farther. Axel fidgeted in his seat after a few more minutes of drowning silence, begging Xaldin mentally to turn on the radio or _something_.

He sighed again, exhausted with his internal conflict before blurting out without hardly a space between words. "After you left on Wednesday my mom got a call from someone that made her fall to the ground and start crying, I held her and held her for like forever and then she went to bed but in the morning she acted like nothing happened and now I'm worried as hell and I'm sorry but I just had to say it because I'm lost and have no idea how to deal with it or what to do."

Roxas looked at him, mildly surprised by his outburst. "You seem to have a problem then. Is there anything I can do?"

"I can't think of anything," Axel replied, holding his face in his hands before rubbing his eyes again. "It reminds me of the time before my dad died. About three months before, we were getting a lot of phone calls and my mom always seemed upset she never cried like Wednesday but she was still upset. I didn't understand what was going on because I was only about eleven or so."

Roxas sat silent for a few minutes waiting for Axel to continue. When he didn't he asked, "but you understand the phone calls now?"

"Yeah… I didn't understand until a few years after he was gone but my mom told me. He ah… he had a gambling problem and borrowed too much money from the wrong people. They were calling to collect the debt apparently, but he never got to pay them back before he died."

"I see."

"I don't want to, but I think those people were calling back again on Wednesday."

"Report them to the police or block the number. There is a plethora of ways to stop harassment."

"Yeah."

"Do you wish to stay at the manor until it all blows over?"

"Maybe, but I'd be worried about my mom."

Roxas nodded thoughtfully. "She could stay with us as well. I believe we have enough space."

"You mean that? I'll have to ask her," a black and white cell phone appeared in front of his face attached to Roxas' pale hand. Axel smiled a bit and took it from him, dialing his number and smiled wider when the ID automatically recognized the number as 'Axel.'

It rang, and rang, and rang some more before the answering machine picked up. Axel turned off the phone before he bothered leaving a message. He tried to remember if his mother had to work this evening or if she had plans with her girlfriends. He couldn't recall anything significant so he decided to let it go. He handed the phone back to Roxas but he couldn't shake the hard feeling in the pit of his stomach.

***

"You're back awful early," Xigbar said as the trio entered the front door of Roxas' house. His eyes grew wide when he saw Roxas limping slightly and threw a questioning look to Xaldin who shrugged.

"No one saw it coming; he's still got a pinch," Xaldin said, settling the blonde onto a chaise lounge not far from the entryway.

Xigbar's index finger appeared in Axel's line of sight in an accusing manner. "And _you_ look like you got hit by a train. Whats up?"

Axel replayed the scenario for him, and after a minute of thoughtful rubbing on his stubble filled chin, Xigbar nodded to himself.

"I think I should take you to your house. You seem to have a gut feeling about this and they're usually right. Let's hurry, just to be safe," the older man said and Axel looked to Roxas then back to Xigbar. "Roxas should probably stay here, we'll come back once we make sure everything is okay," and Axel nodded.

***

The outside of Axel's home looked normal except for one trifling detail. The front door was wide open. Something wasn't right. Axel didn't move from his stance on the tree lawn and Xigbar questioned him.

"Mom never leaves the door open in this kind of weather," he stated flatly, a lump forming in his throat.

"Wait there kid let me grab something," Xigbar ducked back into the Lincoln, and rifled through the glove compartment and stood again, shoving something in the back of his pants. Axel was halfway to the door, obviously not able to follow Xigbar's request.

"Whoa! Axel!" Xigbar cried as a man in a black suit appeared in the front doorway, a pistol focused on Axel's chest. The man grinned a wildly crooked grin from behind large framed sunglasses before a shot rang out. Axel fell to the ground.

From between chunks of his hair, Axel could see only the soles of the man's shoes peeking out from above the top of the porch staircase. He could hear heavy footsteps before he was being hauled up from his fetal position and Xigbar's scar was the only thing he could see.

"You okay kid?" Xigbar questioned his eyes wide with concern.

Axel blinked away the mental fog a few times before feeling his chest and around his face. "Y-yeah, I'm fine."

"You wait in the car and call the police, kid. I'll see if anyone's left," Xigbar shoved his Blackberry into Axel's hands and the redhead dialed nine one one with shaking hands. Xigbar trotted to the front door and hugged the wall with his back before taking a peek around the corner and heading inside.

Axel was talking to the dispatcher when Xigbar reemerged from the house, closing the door behind him. Axel hung up when he finished and handed the device back to Xigbar who took it quickly but not quickly enough and Axel noticed he had blood smeared on his fingertips. The redhead shot him a worried look, and Xigbar noticed.

"Look, kid… h-hey! Wait!"

Axel was sprinting up the stairs and over the incapacitated man on his porch and flinging the door open before Xigbar had a chance to grab him. When he looked inside, his mother's house was completely torn apart. Lamps were tossed around, an end table was turned over and papers and books were strewn all over, Axel started to panic as he went from room to room looking for his mother.

From the top of the staircase Axel could see a large puddle of water and that his room wasn't the way he left it. He was pulled backwards by large hands and he started to struggle against them. He wrestled and wrestled with the arms as they encircled his thin waist as he fought and fought for the staircase. Without realizing what he was doing, he twirled around, bringing his elbow in contact with Xigbar's nose. The larger man let out a sneer and his grip loosened enough for Axel to break free and half-fell half-sprinted his way into his room.

His fish tank was obliterated, the fish having long since suffocated in the open air. His bookshelf was overturned and his laundry was askew more than it usually was. His mother lay on his bed, spread eagle, her long skirt was shoved high on her waist and panties ripped away leaving herself exposed to her son. Not that it mattered anyway because all Axel was concerned with was the fact that her neck had been sliced open and she lay in a pool of her own blood. Suddenly there were hands covering his eyes and he was being shoved back up the stairs.

He was being shoved out the front door when he grabbed instinctively for the railing leading down the front steps and pulled himself over it, vomiting into the flowers.

"Axel…" Xigbar said quietly as they sat on the back of an ambulance. The paramedics had finished looking them both over, making sure no one had any extra holes or anything missing before going to address the man on the porch. Axel didn't look at the man; instead he pulled out his cigarettes and lit two up before passing one to the man. Xigbar took it in silence, not minding the pseudo-backwash on the filter.

"Do you have anywhere to stay, son?" a plump investigator asked when he approached the pair. Xigbar put a hand on the redhead's shoulder and said.

"Yeah, he does. Thanks."

"We can't let you take anything out of the house but we'll call you when we're through so you can come get some clothes, it's going to be a few hours before then," Axel nodded in recognition and the investigator left.

Axel watched as the man on the porch was being zipped into a black full length bag. He didn't feel any animosity yet; he didn't really feel at all. He knew he should be angry at the man for raping and killing his mother, but it hadn't really sunk in yet so he only watched as his body was rolled away. He looked to Xigbar, noticing his nose was starting to turn purple, and there were drops of blood on his shirt.

"Sorry for clobbering you," he said blandly.

"Nah, I understand. You got me good though, I'll admit," he replied with a weak smile. "Let me know when you want to get going."

"Anytime is fine. There isn't anything I can do today."

After giving the investigators their contact information, Xigbar and Axel drove back to the manor in silence. Axel wandered inside in a daze, and up the stairs in a daze and into the room he had stayed in before. He looked around and tried to blink away the fog in his head before giving up and letting himself fall face first into the plush king size bed. He lay there a good twenty minutes thinking about nothing when he heard a gentle knock on the door.

"Axel…?" It was Roxas. Axel muttered a 'come in,' his mouth still full of the comforter. He heard an opening and a gentle closing of the door and felt the bed dip as Roxas sat next to him, placing a timid hand on his back.

Axel turned his head to look up at the blonde before he swallowed heavily, his eyes starting to water. He saw Roxas' blank face give way to pity as Axel started to sob quietly, wrapping his face in his arms. Roxas moved closer, pulling Axel towards him and let the redhead bury his face into the side of his thigh, grabbing a fist of the blonde's jeans for added comfort. They stayed in this position until Axel pulled himself away from Roxas, wiping at his eyes and sitting up, sniffling. Roxas stood quietly and went into the bathroom and came back with a box of tissues, handing it to Axel. The redhead wiped his nose with one before giving it a quick blow, he sniffled some more.

"How's your leg?" Axel asked before too long.

"I'll be fine, thank you. Would you like a drink of water or something?"

"Actually, yeah, that would be nice."

Roxas lead Axel out the room and down into the foyer, Xigbar was surrounded by all the various employees; some dressed like they just came in from regular society and some in their regular slacks and dress shirts they worked in, talking in hushed tones. When the pair reached about mid-staircase the entire group turned to look at them, Xigbar said something to them that only they could hear and the group dissipated. Demyx and Marluxia passed the pair heading their way up the staircase and turning down the hall in silence and the rest went about their business. Xigbar approached the boys when they reached the bottom.

"What should I do?" he asked Roxas.

"Axel just wants a glass of water, if you could help Demyx and Marluxia that would be fine, if he's hungry, I'll cook."

Xigbar nodded and went up the stairs, and Axel looked to Roxas.

"I didn't know you could cook," he stated.

They continued walking, "part of my training at the Academy is to teach me to be a self sufficient, and capable person as well as the proper etiquette and all those other boring things. What kind of man would I be if I was completely dependant on my help?" Axel noted on how Roxas always referred to the other men as 'help' versus 'servants' or 'butlers.'

In the kitchen, which was extravagant, the pair sat in silence on a couple of stools that were pulled up to a prep space on a center island. Roxas had given Axel a glass of spring water before filling a kettle and placing it on a burner to boil. He dug around in the cabinets and pulled out two mugs, and two tea bags, setting them aside and waiting for the kettle to perk.

"I should call my work…" Axel thought aloud.

"I think that could wait, yes?"

"No, I'm supposed to work in the morning, I don't think I can go," Roxas nodded and handed Axel his cell phone. After the call, Axel's eyes were watering again and he was rubbing his nose. The kettle started to whistle and Roxas moved to pour the boiling water into the mugs, handing Axel the handkerchief he kept in his pocket with his free hand. Axel looked at the piece of cloth before dabbing at his eyes, he noted the monogrammed 'R' at the corner with a withering smile.

Another twenty minutes of silence passed with the boys sitting in each others company, sipping at their tea placidly. Axel's mind eventually started to defog and his thoughts wandered. He set his mug down before folding his arms in front of himself on the counter and lying is face in them. He sighed heavily. How was he going to pay for a funeral? He didn't have much saved and he had no idea what his mothers financial situation was like outside of he knew they had enough to pay the bills and buy food. Then again, they weren't religious so he didn't need a service, and they had no other family. His mom had friends though. He figured it wouldn't be too horrible in the long run, financially.

"Don't worry about the finances, I can handle that," Roxas said.

"Shit, I said that out loud? I'm sorry; you don't have to do that…"

"I want to," Roxas said matter-of-factly.

"I can't really argue, but thanks, it means a lot to me. I'll pay it back eventually, I promise."

The kitchen door creaked open and closed quietly behind the boys and clicking heels were heard before pale, warm arms wrapped around Axel's waist in a light hug, Namine resting her head on the redheads back. They both sighed before Axel's breathing became more ragged between breaths and he started to sob quietly again, his shoulders shaking with the effort. He rubbed his forehead back and forth on his folded forearms before letting out an anguished moan, startling the siblings with the abrupt noise.

Namine's arms tightened around Axel's waist and the redhead could feel a wet spot form through his t-shirt. They sat in wallowing sorrow for as long as they could stand it. Roxas eventually had had enough and slammed a clenched fist on the countertop before standing abruptly and storming out of the kitchen without a word. Namine and Axel had stopped crying and were looking at each other, puzzled. They wiped at their faces before following Roxas' path of rage, Axel stuffing the blonde's handkerchief in his pocket.

***

"Get that insufferable woman on the phone this instant!" Roxas bellowed from somewhere in the manor. Namine and Axel had made it to the foyer when they heard the outcry; the echo was so much so that they couldn't tell which direction it was coming from. Namine had a thought and took Axel's hand leading him towards the back of the manor and down a hall, into an oversized library.

The room had to have at least twenty foot ceilings, Axel wagered, and the walls were floor to ceiling redwood bookshelves with a rail running the perimeter of the room. Several library grade ladders with wheels were attached to the rails and one was moving in the distance as a hand with a duster moved along the shelves. No shelf was empty; they were all filled to the brim with books. In the center of the room, in front of an oversized bay window with floor to ceiling curtains was Roxas' small frame, hunched over an oak desk. He was flipping though a stack of papers, a phone receiver tucked between his ear and shoulder. He looked _pissed_.

"I already heard you, I don't care what she says tell her that her home has burned to the ground for all I care, just get her on this phone _now_!" Roxas ordered into the receiver. He stopped flipping though the papers, turning to type wildly on a keyboard and clicking around on his computer.

Namine nudged Axel, still sounding a little watery as she spoke "Roxas doesn't get sad very often, he gets angry. I don't think we should go near him. Let's just pretend we're looking for a book for now until he's finished."

The pair wandered around the library quietly, Axel being able to see Zexion high on a ladder in the distance, a florescent green fiber duster, dancing along the shelves. Roxas was sounding more and more furious as his conversation went on and on with whomever was on the other end. The blonde boy was silent for a brief moment before he pushed his glasses up his nose again and barked into the phone.

"Mother! Could they not tear you away from the bar to speak to your own son? Did I really need to wait this long?" another moment of silence passed as Roxas listened to the phone. He tapped his finger on his mouse impatiently.

"Oh is he really now?"

Silence.

"Well I wish we could all take three week vacations like you."

Silence.

"You really believe that do you?"

Silence again.

"Right right."

Silence again, but this time Roxas was typing away at his computer again.

"Just don't forget about the transfer and overdraw your account again, and no… no you don't. You only tell me you do when you're drunk."

Silence.

"She probably loves you too Mother, goodbye," he hung up the phone with a sigh. Taking his glasses from his face, he rubbed his brows tiredly before going to type away at the computer again, replacing his frames on his nose.

"How's mom?" Namine asked, moving to sit in one of the two wingback chairs settled in front of her brother's desk.

"Insufferable."

"So we heard you say."

"I apologize. She's just too difficult to deal with without getting angry," Roxas wasn't looking at his sister; he was focusing on whatever was on his screen. Axel eventually made his way over to the desk, looking back and forth between the two curiously. When he sat, Roxas stopped typing to look at him over the rims of his glasses.

"I'm sorry you had to hear me act like that, Axel."

"No problem."

"I am writing an e-mail to call in a favor someone owes me. You should think about what you want to do as far as the practical things go. You're welcome to stay here with us for however long you want or you can try to make it on your own," he was typing again, staring intently at the screen, "it's your choice. I would suggest staying here, simply because it would be easier."

"I... I can't even think about anything right now. I'm a little fried."

"I can understand that. I apologize for pushing you, I turn very business-like when I'm under stress and I tend to become more like a machine than a person, or so I've been told," he looked at Namine out the corner of his eye, she giggled a little under her breath.

"Well it's true, if you could see yourself now…" she trailed off. The small blonde did indeed look like he was a professional business man, sitting at his corporate desk, typing away at some sort of proposal that was set to be due in a few hours. Though, the oversized leather desk chair dwarfed him so much, that Axel half expected to see Roxas sitting on a phonebook or something so it was all very surreal. After a minute of typing, Roxas stopped and turned to the phone, dialing a short burst of numbers before bringing the receiver to his ear.

"Xigbar. I've created an account for Axel. Yes. Yes. Exactly, you were always good about being able to read my mind, thank you," he hung up. He took off his glasses again, folding them closed and placing them on his desk, "get some sleep Axel. We have much to talk about in the morning."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Axel groaned. Every synapsis in his body was dead and he could hardly pull himself together enough to swat at the sandpaper being rubbed against his cheek. Sandpaper?

His eyes flew open and he flung himself into a sitting position. A white cat with enormous green eyes rubbed itself against his knee, purring gently. Once he felt the beast's silky fur, he calmed down enough to reach out for a timid pet. The feline met his hand halfway, giving it a rub and a lick. The cat was small, possibly a kitten, but he couldn't say for sure as it wandered around on Axel's vast bed, barely making a dent in the comforter with its tiny feet. The tiny bell on its pink collar rang a light '_dingle_' as he picked the animal up gently and placed it on his chest, sitting backwards into the pillows.

He smiled, noticing that his door had been opened just enough for the feline to sneak in. He could hear a light murmur of conversation echo down the hall from someplace. The cat kneaded his bare chest a little with velvety paw pads. Axel ran a finger under the animals chin, giving it a light scratch it stretched its neck forward in response as if it say '_aww yeah, keep going._'

"You must be Pearl," he said quietly, her white ear twitched. Pearl settled on him, tucking her front paws underneath herself and sighed contently, still purring. He smiled and let his hand fall away. His door started to move and part of Namine's face peered around the door silently before she saw him give a light wave from the bed. She smiled and entered, going to sit next to him; Pearl opened her eyes and observed the blonde girl before resettling on his chest and closing them again.

"I wondered why the door was open," Namine said, reaching to give Pearl a rub behind an ear.

"I like cats, they're peaceful," Axel stated.

"I agree. It was my mother's idea to get Alabaster. Don't get me wrong, I love him too but you can't hold him like this."

"Yeah… what time is it?"

Namine looked at her watch, "about two thirty, I just got home from my classes."

"You have class on Sunday?"

"It's Monday, silly."

Axel gaped, "I've been asleep for two days? Shit! I had to work yesterday!" he exclaimed, sitting up, effectively dislodging Pearl from his chest. The cat walked a few feet away and settled herself again on the comforter.

"Don't worry about it, Xigbar called them," Namine said with a smile.

"Oh, well okay."

"They gave you the rest of the week off."

Axel rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, he felt all the knots and tangles in his fiery hair; he had definitely been sleeping on it for a while. Namine stood and walked across the room and rifled through a cardboard box Axel hadn't noticed before. She handed him his hairbrush. Axel gave the thing a questioning look.

"The police called shortly after you went to bed on Saturday. Xigbar went to your house and threw a box of stuff together for you and brought it here, I hope you don't mind," she giggled a little, "his hands were in your underwear drawer, does that bother you?"

He laughed, "so long as he wasn't sniffing them or something weird we're okay," Namine laughed. Axel threw his legs over the side of the bed and flipped his hair over, brushing the knots out of the underside before flipping his head over again and getting the remainder. He noticed Namine watching him with thoughtful eyes and he smiled a bit.

"Don't you brush your hair?" he questioned "it isn't all that interesting."

"Oh I do, I've just never seen a guy have to put in so much effort to get the tangles out before. It's almost fascinating. Plus, your hair is limp, it looks funny," she grinned.

"You'll have that; I was sleeping for two days yeah? I expect it to be all greasy and gross," suddenly, Axel threw a dramatic pose, the back of his arm draped over his eyes as he waved a hand at Namine and said in a fake falsetto "don't look a me! I don't have my face on!" he grinned, she laughed.

"You should be starving," she stated once she could breathe again.

Axel thought about it and stood, pulling the drawstring of his pajama pants tighter. He had to borrow a pair from Xigbar, who had a wider waist than he, but worse taste in patterns. He smiled at the memory of the solemn _'don't ask'_ the older man had said to him as he handed the redhead a pair of silk pants with rubber duckies splattered around on them.

"I am, but I really have to pee and shower before I do anything else."

"I forgot other people did that," she said with a smile before leaving Axel and Pearl, closing the door behind her.

Axel liked his bathroom. When he entered, there were several towels folded neatly on the bronze marble countertop with his toothbrush set on top. He brushed his teeth in one of the double sinks before reaching into the massive glass shower and turning on the hot water. The room started to fill with steam.

He sighed heavily as he sat on the built-in bench and let the water scald off everything bad that clung to his body. He pulled his legs to his chest and lay his head on the tops of his knees, letting his thoughts wander. He remembered what Roxas had said a couple nights ago about what to do with the practical things pertaining to his mother. Should he sell the house? Could he even live in that house again knowing what happened? When should the burial be? When _could_ the burial be? Was her body even released? He had so many questions. Roxas had also said he had created an account for Axel. An account for what? Money? A fancy stock portfolio? Roxas was doing so much for Axel that he hadn't even asked for, what could the redhead do for him that would repay his generosity?

Before he knew it, his fingers were starting to look like raisins and he hadn't even washed his hair. Finishing up, he dried off some and wrapped his dripping hair in a towel, twisting it around and letting it sit on top of his head. He wrapped his waist in another one before wandering into the bedroom, garnering a surprised yelp from someone. Axel yelped back in response.

"Holy shit Demyx you scared me!" Axel said, pulling the towel a little tighter.

"Sorry! I just thought I'd sneak in and steal your sheets real quick. I didn't hear the shower turn off, I'll be out in a second," the sandy blonde said, pulling the case off a pillow, there were already sheets tossed in a heap on the floor. When he finished, he turned to Axel with a grin on his face. "Nice hat," he stated, before leaving. Axel sighed and got dressed.

***

"So what are you asking me?" Xigbar said. He and Axel were sitting outside smoking together with Axel's best stone friend.

"I want to repay Roxas and Namine somehow, what can I do?"

"Aside from be good friend? I'm not really sure. Namine would probably accept a foot rub or something stupid like that but Roxas never asks for anything material," he exhaled, "I never know what to get him for Christmas."

"A foot rub isn't exactly enough, I don't think."

"Yeah well Namine isn't very complicated. She wants what most girls want, a hair clip here, a sports car there, you know how it works."

Axel laughed at a ridiculous thought he had and Xigbar nudged him as if to say '_go on_.' Axel smiled at the older man and said simply, "we should take Roxas to get a tattoo."

Xigbar snorted before barking a laugh, "that_ is_ funny."

"I don't know anything else he doesn't already have! Work with me here."

"Alright alright, if I think of something you'll be the first to know. But you know, you could always just pull your weight around here as a general principle. Everyone here does."

"What can I do? I can kindof sorta cook, I don't know anything about parrots, and winter is coming so I won't be any help with the plants. I suppose I could clean…" he trailed off. Axel hated cleaning.

Xigbar grinned. "Oh well if you want to clean, I have something for you to do."

Axel groaned a bit, "toilets?"

Xigbar laughed "oh no kid, something way worse."

***

"How long has it been since this thing was cleaned?" Axel coughed, waving a hand in his face to clear the dust. He was perched high on a lift in the main entryway, his face in a sea of crystals. The gigantic main chandelier needed cleaning.

"Oh, maybe about six months? This one needs it more often because the front door blows things around and it gets dirty easily," Marluxia piped from the bottom of the lift. Axel was about twenty feet in the air.

"Yuck man, this thing is gross. Here, I got another one," he said unclipping a large pear cut crystal and waiting for Marluxia to get in position with a soft pillow held up. Axel dropped the delicate thing down and heard a soft '_plop_' as it landed in the plush cushion. He continued dusting away the clumps of dirt with an oversized make up brush, continuing his search for musty looking crystals.

The front door opened and closed. Marluxia chimed in a singsong voice, "hello Roxas."

"Marluxia."

"Axel woke up finally."

"Fantastic, where is he?"

"In the chandelier," Marluxia stated simply. Axel heard the blonde's footsteps stop mid-step. He couldn't see out of the hulking light fixture and through the bottom of the lift so he stuck his arm out over the side for a wave, assuming that Roxas was looking up at him, which he was.

"Hi Roxas," he said.

"What are you doing up there? You're not cleaning are you?"

"Why couldn't I be?"

Roxas sighed heavily. "Because you're a guest, that's why. This is inappropriate."

"I asked Xigbar for something to do and this is what I got."

Roxas looked at Xigbar who was coming in from the door that lead to the garage and gave him a glare. The older man grinned and threw up his hands in a '_don't kill me!_' fashion.

"Well get down here, I need to speak with you."

Marluxia lowered the lift and picked a clump of dust out the redhead's hair with a smile. Axel followed Roxas back into the library. Demyx was on the ladder this time, dusting away at another set of selves on the opposite side of the library from where Zexion was a few days ago. Roxas plopped his school bag next to his desk before undoing his brooch and tie. He pulled both off and set them aside before taking up his glasses, pushing them on his face, and sitting behind the computer again. Axel sat in one of the available chairs watching carefully.

"It has come to my attention that my mother will be returning early from her trip with her husband. She will be here before the evening is over. If you're lucky, you'll be asleep and won't have to deal with her nonsense," Roxas moved his mouse around, waiting for the machine to wake up before clicking around.

"I'm not sure when I'll fall asleep again. I woke up at two."

"That's unfortunate," Roxas said flatly, his shoulders were tense which made Axel feel tense. Old habits started to rear their heads and Axel was suddenly very aware of how Roxas _must_ think he's a loser for waking up so late in the day. He wrung his hands.

"At least you have a mom," Axel blurted before he could stop himself. Roxas stopped typing to look at the redhead.

"Not much of one, I'll admit, but I can agree with your logic."

"I-I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that," Axel felt lower than dirt. It wasn't Roxas' fault that he had no one left, and here he was, almost blaming him for having parents. He really had no idea of the blonde's home situation outside of his relationship with Namine and the help, so he really shouldn't have an opinion.

"No need to apologize. You're right. I should be more appreciative of the things I have, yes? But I must insist that when you do meet her, that you don't drink with her and try not to let her touch you."

"Touch me?"

"She drinks. She drinks heavily. When she's drunk she gets very loud, and very touchy; if you give her an inch, she'll attempt to take it all if you catch my meaning."

Axel had to laugh a little, "oh wow. I would have never had guessed."

Roxas was busy typing away at his computer again, "I was mostly raised by my school. Which is why I am the way I am. Once you enter the Academy you stay there though your entire school career save college. When I was six my mother enrolled me there and I was shipped off to the boarding campus until I was thirteen. Namine in my opinion got the better rearing being mostly raised by Demyx."

"Demyx? He's been around that long?"

"Namine is only nineteen, Axel. Demyx was hired when she was around seven years old. So in reality he's only been here for twelve years."

"But he looks so young!" Axel insisted. Then he had a thought. "Namine said she graduated three years ago from Trinity, how is she only nineteen? She should be in her twenties."

"To answer your first statement, Demyx is in his thirties but I will agree he looks and acts like he isn't any older than you or I. It's just his nature…" Roxas was cut off before he could continue.

"I heard that Roxas!" Demyx called from around a book case. "I do not act like you! I pulled the stick out of my ass many years ago, I'll have you know."

"I was talking about age, Demyx. Not mannerisms."

"Oh. Well never mind then. Go on."

Axel was laughing when Roxas continued, "Namine graduated early, with honors and was accepted into Hollow Bastion University with a full academic scholarship. She is very intelligent."

"I had no idea."

"I would advise you to be wary of Namine though if you are around her when she is around her friends from university. Especially Riku. Stay away from Riku."

"Riku? The guy she had a crush on in high school?"

"So she's told you about him already?"

"No, when I first met her, Selphie had mentioned him."

"I see; they are indeed the same Riku."

Axel let out a breathy laugh, "is he really that bad?"

"In my opinion, he is the worst kind of person. He drinks, he smokes, he breaks the law, he leeches off of others in all ways possible, he has a criminal background including domestic violence against his mother and aunt, and he and Namine have done unspeakable things in the past together that I'd rather not rehash."

Axel's eyes were the size of golf balls. Well not really, but they were wide with surprise. "I would have never known Namine had such a wild streak. She seems so docile."

"Yes well, she's calmed down some over the last year or so." Axel startled in his seat as a shrill ring tone echoed throughout the library, it stopped with a '_beep_' as Demyx answered.

"Okay, I'll let him know," he hung up and walked timidly from behind his bookshelf hiding place and said in a quiet voice, "the missus is home, Roxas."

***

There was a shrieking squeal coming from a middle aged woman that Axel had never thought was possible. He saw a body slam into Roxas, his face being smashed into her large bosom.

"My baby boy!" the woman exclaimed as she held Roxas to her, swinging his small frame around like a ragdoll. There was a clamor of mumbling into his mother's breasts as Roxas tried to break free of her iron grip. Axel felt pity for the boy but at the same time, it was very amusing to watch. Eventually, he was released and he gasped for air before patting the wrinkles from his shirt.

"Axel, this is my mother, Larxene Meadows. Mother, this is Axel."

Axel held out a hand for a handshake, "nice to meet you ma--AH!" He was violently tugged into the woman's breasts in a similar fashion Roxas had been only she couldn't swing the redhead around like she wanted to, Axel was taller than her. He fought the urge to punch the woman in the gut and let her run her course, being twisted around at the waist, hoping she wouldn't pop a disk in his back.

"Roxas made a friend! Oh I'm so elated I could just cry!" Axel noted that the woman's breath smelled of tequila.

There was a hand around his wrist as he was given a tug backwards, being released from his warm squishy tomb. As he stood straight he realized he was holding hands with Roxas. He couldn't dwell on the sensation long because the blonde let go and stepped between him and the woman.

"Control yourself mother. Save some face," Roxas ordered in a stern voice.

"Why Roxas, didn't you miss me? I was worried! I came home early from work just so I could spend some time with you before Christmas break was over and you have to go back to the boarding school," Larxene looked saddened and hurt by her sons brash tone of voice, Axel was a little confused.

"Where is your husband, mother?" Roxas said, he sounded exhausted.

"I dunno where I left him, honestly. He's probably back at the office or something you know how your father is."

"Yes, I know how he is, you're right."

"Well! I'm gonna go jump in the pool. Come join me if you want to," Larxene said cheerfully as she skipped farther into the house. When she was gone, Axel saw Roxas heave a sigh and slump a little, looking upset. He turned to Xigbar, who was standing off to the side supervising.

"Make sure she doesn't kill herself will you?" The older man nodded before leaving.

"Roxas?" Axel asked quietly.

The blonde ran a hand over his face and through his hair before turning to face him. Axel was a little surprised to see that Roxas looked like he had been defeated, his face drooped a little and his expression was heavy. The redhead had the strongest urge to hug him, but he wasn't sure that was the best course of action so he just stood there, watching patiently.

"She must have called from the airport already in town. I thought she was still in Aruba telling me she would be home. I'm sorry you had to see her like that, it's shameful."

"I think your mom has a problem."

"She does, but there isn't anything we can do for her aside from lock her up in an asylum or something of that nature. Whenever she drinks, which is all the time, she thinks that she's still married to my father and that I'm still ten. She still believes she has a job with him, and that she isn't the way she is. We had her hospitalized in a rehabilitation center for ninety days, three times even, but she resumes her drinking as soon as she's home."

"I had no idea, I'm sorry."

"It isn't your fault. I just thought I had more time to prepare," Roxas held his head in his hand a moment before giving his forehead a rub. "I'm getting a headache, I need to take something."

***

Roxas had a large bay window in his room, facing the back of the property. Here, Axel sat on a cluster of pillows, watching Roxas' pitiful mother prance about in the gardens of half-hibernated plants in a one piece bathing suit and heels, totally oblivious to the fact that it was just barely in the fifties; the wind chill made it seem like the forties. Xigbar followed her carefully, a distance away.

Axel raised an eyebrow as Larxene slowed her happy-go-lucky pace to a stroll with her hands behind her back. He fought the urge to bust out laughing when she stopped and did a little dance, while calling to Xigbar and flinging a shoe off at him. The shoe flew through the air and over the man's head and landed a distance away. Larxene continued her dance; Xigbar stood in place and waited for her next move. They were walking along again when Axel heard a loud crash like something glass had been broken. He knocked on Roxas' bathroom door cautiously and waited for the blonde to respond before coming in.

Roxas had punched his bathroom mirror and was wrapping his knuckles in a towel, blood dripping from his fingertips. The mirror was shattered, large shards of glass littered the white marble countertop and the streaks and droplets of blood stood out notably. Axel pulled his face away from the carnage and saw that Roxas' cheeks were dripping with tears, expression blank and silent as he wrapped his hand. Axel didn't know how to respond.

"Roxas!" Namine called from the bedroom. The pair turned to see her come through the bathroom door, holding hands with a silver haired guy Axel had never seen before. He heard Roxas sneer as he stomped across the open bathroom and pushed his sister out of the bathroom and slammed the door in her face.

He locked the door, and leaned against it, holding his face in his hands he slid down the door until he sat on the floor. "How _dare_ she bring _him _here now of all times!" the blonde let out a disgusted moan as he wiped at his eyes. Instead of sobbing, he stood abruptly and reared back before punching the wall of his glass shower with his already busted hand. The towel dampened the blow and that wasn't enough for Roxas and he unwrapped his hand and reared back for another shot. Before he could make contact, Axel gathered the boy in his arms and pulled him away from the shower.

"Are you fucking nuts? You'll break your hand!" Axel exclaimed as Roxas struggled against him trying to free himself. He wiggled free just enough to rear back with his opposite hand a landed a punch right in Axel's jaw. The redhead staggered backwards, lost balance on one of the bath mats and flopped backwards onto his butt. He rubbed his jaw absently, glaring up at Roxas though a tuft of displaced hair. Roxas had a shocked look on his face before he threw himself on the floor next to Axel.

"I'm so sorry; I lost my head for a minute! Are you alright?!" Roxas asked with a pleading voice.

"I'm fine, dude I know how to take a punch, as surprising as it was," he responded with a weak grin. "I'm just happy you're not hurting yourself anymore."

"Yes well," Roxas trailed off before regaining composure and sitting upright next to his friend. "When I see Riku, I can't stop myself sometimes."

"You hate him that much?"

"I do."

"Rough history?"

"…Yes," Axel noted the hesitancy in his voice and the pained change in his expression.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"Okay, let's go get you cleaned up then."

***

"Good gravy Roxas!" Demyx exclaimed as he dabbed at the cuts in the blonde's knuckles. "You'll be lucky if you don't have to go get stitches." Roxas stood silent, letting the other poke and prod at the cuts with a cotton ball and some peroxide. The trio was in the kitchen, Marluxia and Zexion were busy with the chandelier in the main entry and the only other help they could find was the sandy blonde cook. A large pot and a couple of skillets were cooking away on the range behind them.

Shortly after they arrived, Xigbar had burst into the kitchen with an annoyed expression before silently digging around in the refrigerator for ingredients for a Bloody Mary. He was grumbling to himself as he left with the drink, ignoring the group. Axel was sitting next to Roxas, anxiously chewing on a fingernail waiting for them to finish. He was overly curious about this Riku guy. He knew Roxas had warned him to stay away but he couldn't help thinking about it.

"There! A couple of them are a little deeper than I would like, but just keep an eye on it and everything should be fine. We'll change the bandages again before bed," Demyx declared with a light pet over Roxas' bandages and a gentle kiss. "Be careful now," he said before the duo left.

In the dining hall, Xigbar sat at the giant table by himself tapping his finger on the tabletop impatiently. The Bloody Mary sat next to him untouched.

"Where is my mother?" Roxas questioned.

"She thinks we're playing hide-and-seek. She's in the curtains. I'm waiting for her to fall asleep," he said flatly. Axel looked around and saw a mass in one of the curtains across the room. It was low to the ground and not moving very much, but it giggled stupidly from time to time.

"Right," Roxas said.

The two continued out of the dining hall. Axel didn't know where they were going but he followed along anyway. When they passed the duo cleaning the chandelier, they were packing up their supplied. Roxas requested one of them to clean up his bathroom and he and Axel continued back into the library. They sat across from each other again at Roxas' desk.

"Could you help me with my homework?" Roxas asked, throwing the redhead off guard.

"Homework? Roxas I graduated with a C average I don't know how much help I'll be."

"I only need you to be my hands," he held up his mass of bandages, "I'm right handed. Apparently I didn't think before I acted, yes?"

Axel smiled. "I can do that, sure."

Roxas pulled his backpack around his desk and pulled out an enormous text book, some worksheets and a folder, setting the papers and a pen in front of Axel. The redhead rattled off some of the questions to the blonde and Roxas looked the answers up in his book and dictated the answers back. They sat in their routine working though Economics, Math, and History worksheets for over an hour before there was a calamity crashing though the door behind them. The pair startled and looked over to see Namine had crashed backwards though the doorway with Riku on top of her, they were both giggling obnoxiously. Axel heard Roxas growl behind him.

The pair sat watching Namine and Riku try to untangle themselves sloppily before they both stood. Namine started to skip across the maroon carpeting, obviously not wearing a bra and squashed Axel's face into her breasts much like her mother had done.

"And this is my bestest friend Axel! He's so fun!" Namine slurred stupidly, she smelled of vodka and reefer. Axel tried to shove her away gently and she started to giggle uncontrollably, tightening her grip. Oxygen was slowly becoming an issue.

"Awww…" Riku drawled as he meandered over and draped himself over Namine's thin shoulders putting more pressure on Axel's face and neck. "You didn'a tell me you got another boyfrien'" he slurred, his face in the girls hair.

Axel was really struggling against the body in his face now but he was afraid he was going to hurt her; he heard Roxas get up from his seat. The weight lessened as Roxas pulled Riku off his sister, and she clung to Axel a brief moment before releasing his face. When they turned, Riku had Roxas' wrists clenched in his fists and pulled taught at his sides. Riku leaned his face into Roxas', their height difference was significant. Roxas tried to bend backwards to widen the gap between them, his face turned to the side as far as it could go to keep away.

Suddenly, Riku grinned a twisted toothy grin and tugged the blonde to his chest and hugged him violently hard, Roxas grunted in protest, his arms trapped at his sides. Riku had his mouth barely an inch from Roxas' ear as he muttered something that made the blonde's eyes widen. Roxas started to turn a deep red as Riku's hand snaked down and past the tops of the boy's slacks. Roxas started to struggle, and yelped in protest. Axel had seen enough.

Axel was out of his chair and blowing past Namine before he had time to think. He tapped Riku on the shoulder. The older boy turned away from his prey just enough for Axel snake a hand in between them, pulling Riku around by his shirt. Riku was flushed, and only a little shocked looking as Axel pulled their faces together with a sneer. The redhead fought to put a fist in the obviously wasted boy's face as he said with as much control as he could muster.

"Get. _Out_," he growled, his electric eyes trying their best to bore a hole though Riku's forehead. The other boy snorted before starting to laugh. His uproar was interrupted by Axel pulling him across the room by his collar, pushing him out the door, and slamming it closed. He clicked the lock, trying his best to keep his blood from boiling out of his ears; he took a couple breaths and focused on Roxas and Namine in the near distance.

Namine stood there unmoving in front of the desk; her face was flushed with a finger tucked in the corner of her mouth sheepishly. She was silent. Roxas was sitting on the floor Indian style, with a blank face, looking at his friend with rosy cheeks. Axel started across the room and gently took Namine's hand, pulling her back to the door. She followed him without protest and didn't say a word even when Axel closed the door in her face too.

Roxas swallowed thickly when Axel sat next to him on the floor. "Thank you."

"No problem," he replied, his hands still shaky with rage.

"I'm sorry you had to see that."

"You apologize too much for stuff that isn't even your fault."

"All the same, I'm sorry."

"We only have one more worksheet left before we're done," Axel said quietly trying to turn the mood elsewhere. The image of Riku sticking a hand down Roxas' pants was too much to think about at the moment. He was starting to feel mentally fried.

Roxas nodded.

***

Dinner was quiet. Only Axel and Roxas sat at the giant dining table. Apparently Namine and Riku were in the theatre watching a movie and Larxene had long since passed out behind the curtains and was carried off to bed. Her husband was still nowhere to be seen, Axel had realized. No conversation was to be had between the two boys and Roxas ate like less of a robot. His food had come pre-cut, no doubt Demyx taking pity on his busted hand. A phone rang in the kitchen in the middle of the meal, it was answered and the boys didn't know who it was until after dinner.

"The police want to talk to you, Axel," Xigbar stated after they had finished.

"What, right now?"

"I told them tomorrow, but you could go right now if you really want to."

"I'd rather not to talk to them _ever_, really. There isn't anything to say."

"They were pretty adamant about you coming in though, so I told them around noon tomorrow. Should I call them back and tell them to fuck off?"

Axel laughed a tired laugh. "I don't think that would look good. Noon is fine."

***

He couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned with the images from the day flying through his head. A hand being forced into a nice pair of slacks, a petite blonde girl obliterated out of her mind, a horrendously drunk mother, it was all too much to take in. The images crashed into his psyche like a derailed train and made it nearly impossible to close his eyes. Whenever he did manage to squeeze them shut, he saw blood, lots and lots of blood spilling over the edges of his bed and dripping onto his carpet. He let out a frustrated moan and smashed a pillow over his face. He needed a smoke.

Pulling on a random t-shirt he dug out of his cardboard box, he headed down the hall. When he hit the median of the walkway where the staircases descended to the floor below, Axel could hear grunts coming from an open door down the East wing. Mentally kicking himself for being so curious, he quietly padded his way down the hall and peered around the open doorway. It was Roxas' bedroom.

Axel's eyes widened and his mouth gaped, dropping his unlit cigarette from his lips. Roxas was on his back with his eyes squeezed shut and letting out pained pants through a sock that had been stuffed in his mouth; his hands were tied behind his back. Riku leaned in close to the boy's face with a sneer as he ran his hands over Roxas' naked frame. Roxas let out squeaks of protest and tried to struggle away, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Riku let out a breathy laugh at the blonde's feeble attempts to wiggle to safety. He was muttering things in the others' ear that made Roxas start to try and kick him away; his thin legs started to flail around and Riku caught his angles in strong hands, spreading the boy's legs apart and pressing them flat on the bed. Axel heard a pained squeal as Roxas' left leg was turned violently under Riku's hands visibly crunching the boys scar in his grip. Roxas started to whimper through his gag. Riku laughed.

Axel's hands were around Riku's neck before he could go any farther. He hauled him off the blonde and slammed him to the ground, keeping one hand encircled around the older boy's windpipe and leaning their faces close together. Riku's hands shot up to claw at the one round his throat.

"You like rape you sick fuck!?" Axel screamed in his face, "how's about I take you back to my room and bend you over myself!? Huh? Would that get you off too!?" Axel was livid. He pried Riku up by his neck a few inches before slamming his head back against the floor with a damp '_thud_.'

Riku's eyes widened and he struggled harder under Axel's grasp. The edge of his skin was starting to turn blue around the redhead's fingers. Axel squeezed a little harder, holding him down and Riku gasped a few timed before his eyes started to roll back into his head. Axel waited until he lay still before standing.

The redhead felt for a pulse on Riku's neck. There was one, but it was weak and fleeting. He pulled the unconscious boy across the room by his arm and out into the hallway. Axel dropped him on the marble and stepped over his body and back into Roxas' room, closing the door softly.

With a blank expression, he took up the phone from next to Roxas' bed and dialed Xigbar's extension. "There's been an incident," he said flatly before hanging up without listening for a response. He turned to Roxas who had pulled himself into a ball across the bed, watching him with careful tear stained eyes. Axel crawled across the comforter and untied the boys hands and pulled the sock from his mouth. Roxas stayed in his fetal position, hiding his face in his hands and whimpering softly as he lay there, exposed and crying.

Axel was still on auto-pilot when he pushed Roxas around so his head was amongst his many pillows and pulled the covers over his small frame. Neither of them said anything for a long time, Axel sitting on the edge of the bed, Roxas lying still on the opposite end. There was a light knock on the door before being pushed open and Xigbar appeared, sitting next to Roxas.

"Riku was taken to the hospital. You want to tell me what happened?" he questioned. There was silence from the blonde.

"If you don't tell him Roxas, I will," Axel said without emotion. The silence hung in the air for a moment before Axel sighed heavily. "Riku was going to rape Roxas, Xigbar."

Silence. Deafening silence.

Xigbar rose from his seat and said with the light smolder of anger in his voice, "I'm going to take Namine's phone and keys away. I'll be back," he left, closing the door gently behind him.

Another period of silence passed. Axel pulled himself on the bed and scooted across the comforter to his friend. Roxas was curled around himself still, eyes vacant and staring into the distance. The redhead hesitated before reaching out and laying a hand on the blonde's head, running his fingers though his hair. Roxas' hair felt like down feathers, Axel noted. The tension left Roxas' shoulders after a few pets and he shifted around to look at Axel, his sapphire eyes welling up with unshed tears. Axel tried to give him a reassuring, watery smile.

The door opened again before Xigbar stuck his face in to see the two. He was going to go sit with Roxas again when he noticed Axel's hand combing though the blonde's hair, so he decided to leave, clicking the door shut behind him quietly.

Roxas closed his eyes and sighed a little before nudging his way out from under the covers enough to sit up. Axel let his hand fall away and he watched Roxas wipe at his cheeks.

"Once again, I apologize," Roxas said his voice cracking a little.

"Stop apologizing so much, seriously."

Roxas sat for a while, not making any eye contact with the redhead. "I…" he started, trailing off before his sentence could even start. He sat for a minute before trying again. "I don't suppose you could find me a pair of pants?"

"Yeah, where are they?" Axel replied with a light smile playing at the corner of his lips.

"Second drawer from the bottom."

"Okay," the redhead left the bed to rifle through the contents of Roxas' armoire. The second drawer from the bottom was filled with every color of silk pajamas one could ever think of, he picked out a red set and handed them to the blonde who only put the pants on under the covers, blushing lightly. Axel tried not to watch.

"You should get some sleep, Axel," Roxas said as he pulled himself off the bed and standing a little wobbly. He pulled the silk top over his head.

"I can't sleep. I was going out to smoke when I found you."

"I see."

"But I'll leave so you can."

Roxas hesitated with a thoughtful look on his face. He looked at Axel, then back to his bed, and then back at Axel now with a saddened expression. "I have an odd request."

"Okay…" Axel trailed.

Roxas heaved a sigh before he continued, "normally, when something bad happens (usually pertaining to my mother) I go and sleep with Namine in her room. But since she is a protagonist in this situation I'm extending that request to you," Roxas blushed a bit, peering up at Axel. "You must think I'm childish, I apologize, you don't have to," the blonde blurted quickly.

"N-no, I get that feeling sometimes too. But I never had any siblings to crawl in the bed with. I'm almost envious," Axel said with a sheepish grin. He wouldn't freely admit that he crawled in the bed with his mother a few times in his later years of high school for comfort.

"Thank you."

"No problem."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Xigbar yawned as he gently knocked on Roxas' door before stepping in. It had been a long night of arguing with Namine, who was clearly out of her mind on something Riku had given her. She never listened to him. She only listened to Demyx, but he was the first to admit that the sandy blonde wasn't one for discipline.

"Roxas, breakfast," Xigbar said when the door was most of the way open. The room was empty, which was weird. He didn't see Roxas try to climb in the bed with Namine last night, so maybe he's been up already? No, the shower wasn't on and the door to the bathroom was wide open. Weird.

"Xigbar," Zexion said quietly, tugging on the older man's shirt sleeve. The slate haired man pulled Xigbar down the hall into the East Wing stopping short of Axel's room. He stood and pointed for Xigbar to look in. He was a little shocked but it did explain where Roxas had wandered off to.

Axel was sprawled out haphazardly across most of the bed with his face smashed into a pillow snoring lightly. Roxas was curled up in his usual fashion, his arms tucked behind his head neatly with his legs curled up to his chest. Most of the covers had been absorbed by Axel across the way, but Roxas slept peacefully all the same. They weren't touching, but simply next to each other. Normally, when Roxas slept with Namine, he was curled up against her tucked under her chin with his sister's arm draped over him protectively.

"Well ain't that cute?" Xigbar said with a grin. At least Roxas was safe.

Zexion shrugged before walking to Namine's door and trying to wake her up. Xigbar could hear complains echoing from the lavender painted room as she protested audibly. Zexion exited, rubbing his arm.

"She kicked me," the man said simply, walking past Xigbar and down the stair case.

Xigbar walked quietly into Axel's room and nudged Roxas. The blonde moaned a little before making a sour face and rolling over effectively blowing the man off. Xigbar stifled a laugh as he pulled the boy towards him and off the bed, into his arms. Roxas muttered sleepily a little before making a pained face and starting to struggle.

"You're hurting me, Xigbar," Roxas protested groggily, giving the man a smack to the chest.

"Well if you're mom finds you sleeping in here, she'll hurt you worse than I am," Xigbar stated.

Roxas was awake now, though not the happiest, "I'm serious! Put me down!" he shouted which jolted Xigbar into believing he was legitimately hurting the boy.

The older man immediately walked over and set him in an available chair across the room. Roxas bent and pulled up the leg of his pajama pants before cursing under his breath. A large purple lump had formed just below his left knee; there was bruising all around it. He sighed and tried to put his foot on the ground to test how much weight he could put on it. He could hardly press down without searing pain shooting though his leg. He sighed and sat back in his hair, defeated.

Axel stirred and sat up lazily, rubbing the sleep out of his eye. He blinked a few times to take in his surroundings, what _time_ was it? It took him a groggy minute to realize there were people in his room. "Oh, hey Xigbar."

Xigbar was tapping away at his Blackberry, and Roxas sat quietly staring up at the ceiling. Axel was confused. It didn't seem like they were having a party or doing anything fun. The older man simply nodded in recognition that Axel had said hello.

"What's going on, guys?" Axel said, a little worried.

"I need to take Roxas to the hospital."

"What? Why?"

"My leg is doing odd things," Roxas said flatly.

"Xaldin should show up here soon to join us, I'm going to get you some clothes and your wheelchair," Xigbar said as he left.

"What's wrong with your leg?" Axel questioned, walking over to the blonde.

"I have a lump and a mass of bruises. Hopefully I won't need surgery. I should've said something last night; about how Riku twisted my calf and I could hear things grinding against one another," Roxas explained, his expression tightening when he had to mention Riku.

"We could've taken care of it yesterday, Roxas," Axel said, crossing his arms. Outside the door Namine wandered past, rubbing her eyes.

"I apologize. I just wanted to sleep last night away, so to speak."

"Well now you have a bigger problem."

"Yes yes, I know."

"I called the school letting them know what's going on," Xigbar interrupted as he strode in with an armful of clothes. "Sorry to kick you out of your own room, Axel but breakfast is waiting downstairs and Roxas needs to get dressed."

"Oh, yeah. Sure," Axel responded, wandering out the door and down to the dining hall. Namine was sitting by herself at the table, poking at a lump of eggs. She looked haggard and sluggish, thick bags hung under her eyes.

"Morning," she muttered at Axel when he sat across from her.

A cup of coffee was placed in front of him followed by a plate of various breakfast items, eggs, bacon, toast, a small plot of fruit, and a few sausage links. He looked up to see Zexion's solemn face before nodding his thanks. He wasn't used to the service thing yet. Demyx exited the kitchen with a small food storage box and he trotted though the hall and out into the main hall. No doubt giving Roxas his breakfast to go.

"Morning," Axel said back to Namine. "I have to be honest, Namine, you look like shit."

She stopped poking at her eggs and glared at him, "I _know_, I had a rough night."

"I did too," he retorted half wanting to pick a fight with her.

"Oh yeah? I heard what you did to Riku, not cool."

"I _saw_ what he was doing to Roxas."

"He was only playing, he does that," she said flatly, shoving a blob of eggs in her mouth and giving Axel another glare.

"Playing? If you had seen it, you wouldn't have thought he was playing. And what do you mean by 'he does that'? This has happened before?" Axel was getting angry.

"Of course it has. Roxas likes it when Riku gets rough."

Axel sputtered, "how can you say that! Your brother is off to the hospital with the damage that bastard did."

Namine smiled a curt, shameless smile, "you don't know anything about us or Riku. They have a history together that goes back even before I knew him. You should keep your opinions to yourself, for your own good. Roxas needs to be knocked down a few notches anyway; Riku is the only one I know who puts up with him enough to do that."

"You're a horrible sister, you know that?"

"Oh I beg to differ, my friend. I'm looking out for Roxas, giving him a dose of reality before he graduates so he can become more humble. Not everything is going to fall in his lap in a nice little pile like he wants it to and he has yet to realize that. If hurting him in the process is the way to do it then so be it," she slammed her fork on to her plate before getting up and stomping out.

Axel was dumbfounded. Demyx wandered in shortly after the girl had left and looked at Axel questioningly before starting to clear Namine's plate.

"Whats wrong with you?" Demyx asked.

"Namine."

"Nami? What'd she do?"

"A lot. Too much. And she doesn't care."

"Huh…" Demyx drifted. "I'll have to talk to her."

"I don't see what good it will do. Do you know what went on last night?"

"With her and Riku drinking together?"

"No, between Roxas and Riku."

Demyx gave the redhead a sideways look "no…"

Axel sighed. "Never mind then, I probably shouldn't say."

"If that's what you want."

Axel had wandered around the manor for the remainder of the morning. Namine went off to class and Roxas was still in the hospital when Zexion found him and said it was time to go to the police station. They sat in the lobby together for a good fifteen minutes, silent, before an overstuffed investigator called Axel in. As he was exiting the lobby he spied Zexion pulling a small book out of his overcoat and beginning to read patiently, the redhead smiled a bit at the very human action coming from the otherwise robotic man.

He was lead into a very plain looking 'interview room.' He sat in one of the metal chairs set up around a card table. Axel hated these places. It was very obviously an interrogation room not its friendlier sounding counterpart; it had a couple cameras in either corner of the ceiling and a one way mirror that was obviously a window for other investigators watch from. He waited, and waited, his leg starting to bob up and down and he chewed on his index finger nervously. He _really_ hated these places.

After an eternity, the investigator that he had talked to in front of his mother's house wandered in and sat across the table from him setting a large file on the tabletop.

"How are you, son?" the man questioned.

"I'm not your son."

"Can I call you Axel then?"

"Whatever," his tempter was showing. No amount of therapy could calm Axel in this situation; it was a familiar and unwanted scene from his past.

"Well you can call me Bill then," the investigator said. He opened the file and flipped though some papers and pulled out a couple of large photographs, pushing them to Axel. One was of a man he didn't recognize laying dead on an autopsy table, a hole in his forehead above his right eye. No other distinguishing marks were shown. He was bald and plain looking. The other photo was of the dead man, lying on his front porch surrounded by blood, his sunglasses had been removed but it was obviously the guy who killed his mother. Axel felt a lump form in his chest. He looked at the photos for a long minute, then Bill, then back at the photos.

"What do you want me to say, Bill?" Axel asked.

"Do you know him?"

"No. Well I know he's the guy that killed my mom, but other than that, I've never met him before," Axel's voice started to crack as he talked about his mother. With the flurry of activity he was in at Roxas' house, he had hardly any time to properly mourn for his mother; talking about it so openly put a weight on his shoulders he'd rather not feel.

"Well alright. Let me show you something else," Axel waited patiently as Bill rifled though the file again, pulling out another photo. Axel choked and leaned away from the table as a picture of his mother was placed in front of him. She lay on the autopsy table; her neck had been sewn shut and looked otherwise, grey and dead. On her forehead though, there was a symbol that had been burned into the skin; a tree with some sort of bird sitting inside. It was so detailed it had to have come from either a premade template or someone had taken a very long time to put it there. Axel felt sick to his stomach, he recognized the symbol.

Bill flipped a few papers over and pulled out another photo, setting it next to the one of his mother. It was of Axel's father this time, the picture was from over a decade ago, but the scene was the same. His father lay still on the autopsy table, his neck sewn shut but otherwise unharmed save for the symbol burned into the skin of his forehead. Axel paled and shut his eyes, hiding his face in his hands.

"Now I know what you're thinking Axel, and it's true, it's the same situation regardless of how you look at it. We really need your help on this one though, we have reason to believe you know the people who did this," Bill said as kindly as he could before continuing. "Your parents are not special cases here, there have been others killed by this particular branch. Now, I'm going to show you some more people and you tell me if you recognize anyone."

"I don't want to look at any more pictures."

"That's your choice, Axel but you would help us out a lot if you could tell us some things. I'll put the other ones away, here," Bill shuffled all the other pictures away and back in the file before pulling out a photo lineup and pushing it across the table.

Axel sat silent, unwilling to look at the photos for a few moments. Eventually he swallowed the lump in his throat and looked over. There were eight pictures of school kids spread out in neat rows of four. Axel furrowed his brows together and looked at Bill like he was crazy, these weren't criminal mug shots. There was a row of girls and a row of boys, all posing in front of their pre-made cheesy backdrops, all looking innocent. Immediately Axel picked one of the boys out and pointed it out to Bill.

"Riku," Axel said flatly.

"None of the girls?"

Axel looked it over again before poking at a girl with chestnut gravity defying hair, "Selphie."

"Thank you. I have one more set for you to look at," Bill said whilst pulling out another set of eight pictures. Immediately, Axel recognized two of them, he swallowed thickly before pointing out two pictures.

"Namine, and R-roxas," he stammered, his heart sinking a little. Riku he couldn't give two shits about and he barely knew Selphie. But Roxas and Namine? What did they have to do with his parents? He wrung his hands.

"Okay," Bill handed him a pen. "Just circle the ones you know, and initial beside them, showing that you picked them out, not me."

Axel did as he was instructed, his mind in a flurry but the rest of him feeling numb. When he finished he looked at Bill, still feeling pale and clammy. "What does this all have to do with my parents?"

"Well I can't really say yet, the investigation is ongoing. But you're in no immediate danger where you are, rest assured. That's all I have for you today, Axel. You're free to go, you are free to go back to your mother's house as well by the way; we're finished there." Bill closed his file and stood. Axel stood with watery legs, still horribly confused. The investigator led him out to the lobby where Zexion was, still reading. The slate haired man glanced over and stood, closing his book and tucking it away going to the door. Axel followed numbly behind him. He noticed a nearby clock. Two thirty? He was in there for two hours?

Axel tiredly pushed open his bedroom door. He looked around with surprise. His once relatively hotel-ish bedroom had been painted while he was gone. The walls were a deep red, and the bed clothes had been changed to match. Demyx and Marluxia were pulling things out of boxes and shoving them into drawers. He was surprised to find his terrarium with his hermit crabs had been transported there, and was set up on its stand a few feet from the bed. The pair across the room stopped what they were doing and looked at Axel with grins.

"Do you love it!" Marluxia exclaimed. "Xigbar was able to get all your things from your room!"

"Yeah, and we're just finishing up. The painting is what took the longest so don't touch the walls yet," Demyx quipped, shoving another pair of pants away.

"You guys only needed two hours?"

"Oh we started at like, ten this morning. Why do you think Zexion came and found you instead of letting you wander back up here?" Marluxia questioned.

"Oh, I suppose that makes sense. But thanks you guys, I appreciate it…" Axel trailed off. It was starting to sink in that he wasn't going to be living with his mother anymore. He was probably going to sell the house for whatever he could get for it, and he would never have to go back. It was a little unsettling, he wished he could've moved out under better circumstances but at least this way, it saved him the effort of packing it all himself and then unpacking by himself. Besides, he did like red.

"Roxas sent us a text about an hour ago saying he wouldn't be home for a couple days, you're free to visit him if you want," Demyx said.

"Wow, it's that bad huh?"

"Yeah apparently whatever he did, he did it well enough that he has to have surgery again. It'll be his sixth on that leg alone," that explains the long recovery time, Axel noted. He also realized that Demyx still had no clue what was going on, Marluxia was probably clueless too.

"Xigbar was pretty adamant about finding Riku though, I wonder if he beat up poor Roxas," Marluxia piped.

"Axel knows what happened, but he won't say," Demyx noted back, talking as if the redhead wasn't standing ten feet away.

"You such a busybody, Demyx," the rose-haired man said giving his friend a nudge. Both men simultaneously dug into their pockets and pulled out matching Blackberries. Poking the screen a few times they both started to clean up what they were doing before making for the door.

"Zexion says Namine is home and she brought company," Demyx said before closing the door behind them.

Axel had to bundle up before heading outside again for a smoke. It was getting notably colder as the beginning of October crept closer. He flicked ash into his buddy and sat quietly thinking about all the events that had transpired in the last weeks. He wiped away stray tears when he thought about his mother and felt the lump in his gut harden when he thought about Namine and Roxas having something to do with it.

Then he thought about the practicality of those two being involved with both of his parent's deaths. His father had been killed over ten years ago so there wasn't a way in hell they personally could've been involved. Maybe their mother? He didn't know much about the woman. Possibly their father? He had no clue.

The back door clicked open and flippy chestnut hair appeared next to him. "Hi Axel!" Selphie squeaked. "Sorry about your mom, that sucks," she said simply.

"Uh... yeah. It does," he said curtly. Does this girl have no tact?

"But now you get to live here! In this amazing house! That's a plus, right?"

"I suppose. I wish the circumstances were a little different though."

"Oh sure sure," she grinned. She moved next to the redhead and leaned against the wall with him. Axel wasn't sure what she wanted so he stayed silent, his mind in a fog. After a long while she said quietly "Namine isn't happy with you."

"Well I'm not very happy with her, either."

"Riku is still in the hospital."

"Good."

"How can you say that?"

"He's a sick fuck, that's how," Axel snorted and snuffed his cigarette out.

"Roxas and Riku play like that all the time though. Hell, he and Sora even play around."

"Sora?"

"My little brother."

"Well you're a sick fuck too for not caring, then," he said, his voice growing angrier as the conversation continued on.

"What are you, a homophobe?"

Axel gave her a look, "no, I'm not. I just don't approve of forcing yourself on people."

"Who said anything was forced?"

"I know what I saw."

"Seeing doesn't always give you the right picture. Let me guess what you saw. Riku had Roxas tied up and gagged, yeah? So what? Sora and Riku play like that all the time, and Sora never complains. He _likes_ it," she said simply. "Did you even ask Roxas' opinion on the matter? Did you ever think that maybe Roxas was putting on a show for Riku?"

Axel couldn't believe what he was hearing. What kind of siblings were these people? These had to have been the most backwards families Axel had ever come across. "What the _fuck_ is wrong with your head, girl? Are you _insane_? Of course Roxas didn't like it, Riku was _hurting_ him! He's in the hospital because of that bastard! You and Namine can both fuck off for all I care; this is the most backwards shit I've ever heard!" Selphie only looked at Axel placidly. She didn't seem to notice his outburst. Axel sputtered again before trying to control his growing rage.

"Stay out of Riku's way, Axel. He's in charge, he gets whatever he wants whenever he wants and I want you to remember that for the future," she stated before turning and leaving Axel to himself. In charge? Of what?

Axel sighed tiredly. Too much had happened too fast and his sluggish mind couldn't keep up. He was almost happy Roxas would be away for a couple days because that meant he would be safe and wouldn't complicate Axel's thoughts anymore. He also had things to do now that the police were finished with his mother's body. He needed to get back in the house so he could go though some files and try to find some phone numbers for his mothers friends and possibly the family lawyer and maybe even her will.

There was one glaring problem. He didn't have a car and he wondered how he was going to go about getting a ride out of one of the guys here. Xigbar was really the only one he felt comfortable around and he was with Roxas. Axel sighed and ran his hand though his hair. He was in a pickle.

Traipsing his way up to his room, Axel could hardly think anymore, he just wanted to take a nap to clear his head. He was about to enter his room when he heard his name coming from Namine's a few doors down.

"You really think Axel is that much of a problem? Why did you bother being nice to him in the first place?" Selphie asked. Axel snuck nearer to the door and listened in, hoping they wouldn't notice him.

"Well I first thought he would break Roxas down just a little more. But the guy's personality totally doesn't match his appearance. I could've sworn he would've been doing at least _some_ sort of hardcore drug that he'd get Roxas hooked on, but apparently he's clean. I mean look at this!" there was a rustle of papers, "he has a record! But everything stopped when he turned eighteen, something happened. Something big and we just need to coax it out a little. No sane person puts tattoos on their face without some sort of issue going on inside, you know?"

Axel glowered at no one in particular. They have his record? Where did they get that? He listened further.

"Right well I think once your mom wakes up we should tell her some things. Get the ball rolling, yeah?" Selphie asked.

"I almost feel bad. Axel seems like such a nice guy but I can't let him steal Roxas away from me. We need him as naïve as possible, he has to slip up somewhere, we're running out of time," Namine said, there was a rustling of papers and a zipper sound. Axel decided it was time to get into his room.

Tell Larxene what exactly? He hasn't done anything other than use her electricity and water, and ate her food. Why did Namine need to have such a tight grip on Roxas? Running out of time? What time? Before heading to his bed, he detoured to the bathroom to rinse his face and possibly chase some of the anxiousness away. He suddenly felt very unsafe in the house, contrary to what the police investigator had told him.

Falling face-first into the bed, Axel tried his best to not think about anything. He had the same problem now than what he had last night. Too much has happened too quickly and everything flew past him at light speed. When he closed his eyes all he could see were the pictures of his parents lying on autopsy tables. He sat up and started to peel his shirt off, to try and make himself more comfortable for sleeping.

Suddenly his door swung open and banged into the wall. Larxene stood in the doorway with bloodshot eyes and a wild look on her face. She was in her bath robe, with a lacy nightgown on that lent very little in terms of coverage, almost arguably a piece of negligee, and fluffy slippers. Axel stared at her frozen in place, his shirt halfway pulled up off his chest. _I can't catch a break, can I?_ He thought to himself. Larxene looked at him with electricity in her eyes before cracking a smile and letting the tension ease out of her face.

"I'm sorry, you're not Roxas," she said simply, pulling her robe closed and blushing a bit.

"Uh… no, no I'm not," Axel said, lowering his shirt.

Demyx could be heard calling from down the hall, "Ma'am! I told you Roxas wasn't home. He went with Xigbar," the sandy haired man appeared in the doorway behind the woman, looking like he had just run ten miles. "He's in the hospi—" the door was closed in his face as Larxene came in. She watched Axel from the door, looking him over like he was a field mouse to her puma. Axel suddenly felt like crying.

"I don't recall meeting you…?" she waited for his introduction.

"Axel. My name is Axel," _we met yesterday, stupid_, he continued in his mind.

"Oh well, I'm Larxene." The woman sauntered over and sat on the edge of his bed, Axel moved a good three feet away from her. She leaned over, letting the top of her nightgown dip low to show some serious cleavage, she wasn't wearing anything underneath and her chest was dangerously close to heaving itself out of the lace. Axel almost gagged. This woman had to be in her forties! He wasn't into the older set. The woman batted her eyes at Axel.

"Are you another one of Namine's delicious boyfriends?" she said seductively, leaning closer to Axel, he promptly moved back a few more inches.

His voice cracked, "I'm not, no." Was she serious? She didn't smell drunk, and she looked like she just woke up. How can this woman be like this when she's sober? He was suddenly bombarded by a great deal of pity for Roxas. A crazed sister and a drunken whore for a mother does not a happy home make.

"Well good, then that means I won't have any guilt," Larxene said with a toothy grin, reaching a hand out to place on Axel's thigh.

"W-wait, whoa. Hold on there," he protested, moving just out of her reach. "I thought you were married, don't you want to do this with your husband? I mean, why me?" he was starting to panic.

Larxene sat up and looked at Axel like he had suddenly sprouted six head. "Husband?" she started laughing, a twisted cackling sound before continuing, "that bastard took me to Aruba and handed me divorce papers, so I left him there. So no worries, no one will care."

"Lady, I could have like twenty STD's right now and you'd be totally oblivious, this isn't right. You can't be serious," he insisted "you didn't know my name when you walked in here and you probably think I'm way older than what I really am, and I don't think Roxas would want me sleeping with his mother. Not to mention I _really_ don't want to," he blurted.

"Oh so what you're telling me is you're a fag," Larxene retorted she gave the redhead a hard glare that made him fidget.

"You're missing the point," he said with a sigh. There was a knock on the door. _Salvation!_ Axel thought before his hopes were crushed again when he saw who it was.

"He doesn't want any, mom," Namine said with her arms crossed. Selphie was standing behind her friend with an amused smile.

"I can see that now. Apparently he's a tremendous faggot. Come on girls, let's go get a drink."

"You're missing the point!" Axel insisted from his bed. Suddenly Larxene was in his face.

"Oh what? I call you a fag and now you want it? Forget it, you're not worth it. If you really want to prove to me that you're a _real_ man, drink with me. If you can hold more than I can, you're free to do whatever you want without ridicule." Was she really a mother? Axel had a flashback to when his mother had said that Larxene never came off as the mothering type. He could understand that now.

He rubbed his forehead, he really wanted to just fall asleep and not wake up. Larxene waited for a response with her arms crossed. He sighed wondering if her promise of no ridicule was honest or if she was just wanting him to get hammered so she could rape him. He sighed. "Fine, whatever, but not right now. I really just wanted to take a nap."

"Fine fine. Have it your way. Just let me know," Larxene said "but the longer you wait the longer I get to call you a faggot."

"Aw jeeze kid, I'm sorry it went down like that," Xigbar said. Axel had called him shortly after he woke up from his nap. He was taking the older man up on his offer, and he made good on it.

"_If you need anything. And I mean _anything_, you dial my extension and I'll be here."_

"You think she'll remember it?" Axel asked. They were pulling into the hospital parking lot.

"Hard to say. She was sober when she told you, yeah? She might actually remember that one. Personally, I would take her up on it; she'll drink herself stupid and forget it ever happened. In the event she does remember it happening, we could just tell her you won."

"Why would she care if I'm gay or not?" Axel huffed.

"Because she's a homophobe. She wants grandchildren, believe it or not, but she wants them legitimately. She thinks Namine as a whore, and if Roxas turns out gay, then there isn't much hope for her bloodline. Personally, I don't give a rat's ass what you do."

"Well that sort of makes sense," Axel thought it was selfish on Larxene's part. Wanting grandchildren in of it itself isn't a bad thing but to deny your child's happiness? That's not cool. The pair meandered their way though the hospital and into Roxas' room. He had a private space all to himself with a couple extra pillows no less. Before Axel said anything, Xigbar leaned in close to whisper something.

"He's a little doped up on pain meds, so watch out." Axel had to grin, finally something lighthearted to take advantage of.

"Hi Roxas," he said with a smile, pulling up a chair to the side of the bed. The blonde was flipping though a magazine. He looked over to Axel with a big dopey smile on his face.

"Hello Axel, how're you?"

"Oh I'm alright, how're you feeling?"

"Peachy! Whatever they got in these tubes is pretty great," underneath all the enthusiasm, Axel couldn't help but feel a little pity that Roxas had to be doped up in order to feel this happy.

"I'm going to get some coffee," Xigbar said, leaving the room.

"You know what's really terrible?" Roxas asked in a low voice once Xigbar was gone. He was leaning into Axel like he was going to tell him some huge secret.

"No, what?"

"Jello with shit in it."

"Shit like fruit?" Axel laughed.

"Yeah. They gave me this glob of green jello with pears in it. It was so terrible, I gagged."

"Rough day then, yeah?"

"You're telling me!"

Axel watched and listened with a smile as Roxas proceeded to tell him about the 'horrible conditions' he was forced to live under. The lumpy pillows, the horrible food, and the lack of sunlight were high on the list of his complaints. After a while, Axel found himself leaning forward and resting his chin in the palm of his hand on the edge of the bed simply watching Roxas jabber on about useless things. It was a refreshing scenario. Xigbar had come back with his cup of coffee and was sitting near the doorway reading the newspaper.

Roxas had finished talking and was watching Axel watch him. "Why are you staring at me?" he asked the redhead simply.

"Because I've never seen you so relaxed, it's refreshing."

"Yeah well if you stick around long enough, I'll hopefully be able to loosen up permanently. I can't do that until I turn eighteen."

"What?" what a weird thing to say. "Why eighteen?"

"It's a long story."

Axel smiled and laid his head on his arm, on the bed, looking up at Roxas. "I've got time."

Roxas inhaled a deep breath and exhaled with a smile as he looked down at Axel. He scooted himself around on the bed so he could face his friend more and took a piece of red hair in his hand to fidget with before starting his story. Axel was a little startled by the familiarity they were sharing but he ignored the lump in his throat and waited patiently for Roxas to begin.

"When I was younger and still living at the boarding school, I went home for the Thanksgiving holiday. There was a grand party at the manor and all of my distant relatives came into town for it," he sighed, a thoughtful look on his face as he pulled apart the clump of hair into three pieces and began to braid it. "My mother of course, was drinking and making a fool of herself. By the end of the evening she was hanging all over her brother in a very inappropriate fashion, if you catch my drift. She made such a scene that it must have made an impact on my grandfather because I got a call shortly after I went back to school to come home again.

So I came home and I was sat down with my grandfather and he proceeded to tell me he was removing my mother from his will. Since I was her closest son, I was to inherit the family businesses and wealth when I turned eighteen since my grandfather's health was failing and he wouldn't be around much longer. He knew my mother wouldn't take it all seriously, and my older brother had since lost contact with the entire family outside of my mother so by being the next son in line, I would get it all. Namine wasn't even a factor since I was there, my grandfather felt it was the man's responsibility and the man's alone.

There was a clause though. If I was to become lecherous like my mother, everything would be transferred to Namine. If I broke the law in any way that went on record, it would go to Namine. So for instance, if I decided to rob someone, do drugs, drink, or got some woman pregnant before I turned eighteen, I would lose it all. My grandfather made it very clear I was to behave myself until I was an 'adult in the eyes of the law' which honestly, doesn't bother me. I don't have any wild urges to go out and have sex with every girl I meet or to drink or do drugs," Roxas sighed. "So, to get back to the original issue, once I turn eighteen, I'll be able to relax some and possibly have some fun and experience life outside of the manor without supervision," he glanced over to Xigbar who was pretending not to listen.

By the end of the tale, Axel had three braids in his hair and he was starting to fall asleep. Playing with his hair was the best way to get him to relax without smoking. His mother would brush his hair for him when he was younger and feeling anxious; the repetitive gentle movement of his follicles was enough to rock him to sleep. He blinked a few times trying to wake up and participate in the conversation.

"When is your birthday?" he asked the blonde quietly.

"October thirteenth."

"Oh wow, it's really close then."

"Yes it is, I'm looking forward to it. Maybe I'll sit down and have a drink with my mother; she's been trying to get me to do that for years."

"You'd seriously put yourself though that?" Axel said with a smile. It was a foreign thought of Roxas drinking. He secretly hoped he was as happy-go-lucky when he's drunk as he is right now.

"Maybe not, now that I think about it," Roxas said with a light laugh.

Axel yawned. He didn't know why he did, he took a two hour nap, he shouldn't be tired but Roxas was working on his fifth braid and the redhead couldn't help it. "I'll be sure to take you out for a night of debauchery then."

Roxas laughed, "sure thing, just don't get me killed."

"Nah, we're not gonna go that far."

"I should go out and get like, a dozen piercings in my face just so my mother would flip out," Roxas quipped garnering a laugh from Axel from the mental images.

"I would charge admission for that," Xigbar piped from across the room before clearing his throat and turning the page of his paper. Axel had forgotten the man was there.

After a brief moment of silence, Axel was already starting to fall asleep again. Roxas gave a light tug on his hair which jolted the redhead awake and made Roxas laugh almost like a giggle; he gave Roxas a questioning look. The blonde blushed a little, surprised by the weird noise he had made before he started to full out laugh along with Axel.

"How did you get so much hair anyway?" Roxas asked, moving to the next piece.

"I got most of my features from my dad, though I got the coloring and my eyes from my mom."

"What was your dad like?"

"Well, I don't remember him much. Like I do, but all the memories are foggy because I was only about eight when he died. He's the one who taught me about baseball, and he liked to help my mom cook. He worked a lot, but was always home when I needed him, oddly enough. He wasn't very quick to anger and had a lot of patience to show me how to do things over and over again. The only negative I remember was that he would argue with my mom about money and his gambling problems every now and again. Every Friday he would head over to the MeadowLark Casino in town and play a few rounds of poker, usually losing," Axel shrugged flippantly.

"I see," Roxas hesitated before continuing. "Can I ask how he died?"

Axel deadpanned. He swallowed hard, having thoughts flip back to the police station and pictures of his parents being shoved in front of him. "He ah… he was killed, like my mom was." The hands in his hair froze and Xigbar put his paper down. Axel was suddenly very aware of the bomb he had just dropped.

"Axel… I'm sorry I asked," Roxas said in a mellow tone.

"It's okay. It would've been easier to say if the police hadn't made me rehash the memories today."

"I forgot you went to the police station today. I assume they wanted to ask you about the similarities?"

"Yeah, and they had me pick out some people in a photo lineup," Axel's mind started reeling with the pictures of Roxas, Namine, Riku and Selphie. The pictures of his parents blew past and the one of the murderer, and then Axel had a thought. He sat up, the braids sticking up in weird directions and turned to Xigbar who watched him with very serious eyes.

"They showed me the picture of the guy who broke into the house. I forgot to thank you for saving me. You're a good shot," Axel said with a watery smile. Xigbar sat up in his chair.

"It's what I do kid, I was a sharpshooter in the military for several years before I was hired out by Roxas' mother to keep and eye on him. Keep him safe," the man sighed heavily, "it's actually a relief to hear you praise me, as egotistical as it sounds. I sort of feel like a failure because if you hadn't been there last night who knows what would've happened to the kid. Thanks, by the way, for doing my job."

"Let's just call it even then?"

"Sounds good."

Timid arms snaked around Axel's neck from behind him, it took him a minute to realize that it was Roxas and he froze, not sure what to do. Roxas gave him a gentle hug.

"Thank you for saving me, Axel," Roxas said with his face full of red hair. Axel laid a hand on one of Roxas' arms with a smile.

"No problem," he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Roxas let go and sat up, letting Axel turn to look at him. The blonde sat timidly atop his bed with a sheepish look on his face and blushing cheeks. Axel wanted to continue, but he hesitated.

"Just so we're clear," he said up to Roxas, hoping he wouldn't offend him. "Riku _was _forcing you, right? You weren't volunteering?"

Roxas looked at him with a horrified expression "of course I wasn't! Why would you think that? He ambushed me while I was in the bathroom getting ready to take a shower!"

Axel put up his hands in a surrendering gesture "okay okay, I get it. I just… Selphie approached me today and told me that Riku does this often with her brother Sora. She insisted it was just what Riku does and she thinks you do it willingly. Namine apparently feels the same way." Roxas paled.

"Riku… forces Sora?"

"Selphie says he enjoys it, I don't understand how she can think that. Namine too, they both acted like it was commonplace."

Roxas ran a disturbed hand over his face and through his hair, Axel knew he had hit a nerve, he regretted saying anything about it but he had to know for the sake of his own sanity. Xigbar sighed from his seat before getting up and leaving the room. The silence hung in the air like a thick curtain as Roxas stared into open space, emotionless. Axel reached out and touched his arm gently, and the blonde nearly took off into the ceiling he startled so badly. When he realized it was Axel, he calmed and sighed.

"W-why would Namine say such horrible things?" Roxas stammered, Axel had never heard the blonde talk like this before.

"I don't know. Maybe Riku has her hooked on something and that keeps her loyal to him," he thought back to what Namine said that morning, but decided not to drop another bomb on Roxas.

"Possibly," Roxas' expression was darkening; Axel tried to think of a quick escape route.

"Hey, let's not worry about that right now, yeah? Let's just worry about you getting better," Axel smiled and shoved Roxas around until the blonde lay in his bed properly. He grabbed the remote from a nearby nightstand and flicked on the television across the way. The news was on, good, something common and boring enough for the boys to make small talk with. Axel sat in his seat again. The blonde fidgeted around so he could grab a hold of a chunk of fiery hair and started playing again. After a while of mindless braiding, Axel's eyes started to slide closed. Eventually, Roxas took notice of the effect it had on the other boy and started to run his fingers though the full length of his hair dislodging all the braids easily.

That coupled with the peace and quiet of the hospital room, really started to put Axel under. His eyes slid closed and he leaned his head onto Roxas' bed to give the blonde a better vantage point for his fingers. It couldn't hurt to take a little snooze right?

Right.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Axel's teeth were starting to itch. After this was finished he vowed to try and quit smoking. In reality he wanted to go and brush his teeth and gargle with some bourbon to burn the stale taste out of his mouth but all his stuff was at, dare he say, _home_? Roxas' house? He didn't know what to call it, but it meant home definitely wasn't here anymore.

He was sitting in his mother's kitchen trying his best to flip though some important files his mom had tucked away in her closet. He had Demyx stop at a gas station on their way over so he could buy a carton of cigarettes he was going to need if he ever wanted to get though this. He was already most of the way finished with his second pack, having chain smoked all though the calls he had made to his mother's girlfriends. Demyx had long since vacated the tiny kitchen in favor of some fresh air. Axel wasn't feeling much. It had already been a week since his mother had been killed and it was still very surreal.

He contemplated selling the house as is, and letting the people who move in deal with all of his mother's things, but her best friend Frieda insisted she wanted to take the gaggle of friends around the house and grab some memorabilia since they weren't going to have a service. Axel had found a hard copy of his mother's will and it outlined that she wanted to be cremated, just like his father. He didn't care what the middle-aged women did, he only wanted the pictures and a couple souvenirs they had collected from their few vacations they had in Axel's childhood. The rest could burn. He didn't want this anymore.

The more he sat and thought, the angrier and more vindictive he started to feel. This wasn't _fair_. Sure, the police had said that his parents weren't unique in this particular string of murders, but it was all the same to him. They had wanted money, that much was clear, but the bastards didn't have to kill anyone. They really didn't. They could've taken the damn house, all their stuff, his fish, even his hermit crabs, and his mom's car for all he cared. He just wanted his parents back. If this had never happened, he could've had a normal friendship with all the people he's met. He could've stayed out of their weird personal business, and just have been _normal_. Normal sounded nice.

But no, he had to sit around and pick up all the damn pieces. He considered going back to the Institute but then he remembered how miserable he was there; he had checked himself out immediately once he had turned eighteen. At least it was quiet there. Quiet and sterile. He didn't have to think about anything there, he only had to worry about keeping himself sane and on the straight and narrow. But man, times like these really made him want to revert to old behaviors just so he could feel numb again. Emotions sucked.

Demyx wandered back in and stood in the doorway, watching Axel stare off into space with a blank expression. The sandy haired man felt for him, he really did but this particular brand of mourning wasn't exactly healthy; when Axel heaved a heavy sigh he could hear a wheeze come from his lungs and it made Demyx' skin crawl. He took a tentative seat next to the redhead in another available chair.

"You really shouldn't smoke so much," he stated.

Axel was silent for a minute before responding, "then go out and buy me like six gallons of booze and I'll change to another habit."

"Eh, that's not necessarily the best alternative."

"Then I'll keep smoking."

Demyx sighed, a shallow one because the kitchen was smoggy with second hand smoke and it was hard to breathe. He leaned back and nudged open a window and a chilly breeze wafted though. "You know, you could always just have someone else deal with all the paperwork. You're only one guy, Axel; you're too young and too inexperienced to take it all on, hire a lawyer. If you did that, you could relax and properly mourn your mom, yeah?"

"I've considered that. I'd feel like I'm passing the buck though. Then again, I'm the only one I have to worry about; I don't have any more family."

"Self preservation is sometimes the best venue to keep your sanity. It's a lot of work trying to move on from something so traumatic. I'm surprised you've held up this long."

"I already went though it once with my dad. I had a lot of therapy when I was younger, the only major difference in scenarios is my age and now _I_ have to do the paperwork. Other than that, it's exactly the same," Axel said flatly.

"Well I suppose it's a hidden blessing then. That experience."

"I guess, though I would've preferred none of it happening in the first place."

"Well of course, who would want this?"

Demyx reached over and plucked the forgotten cigarette out of the redheads hand and snuffed it out in the already overflowing ash tray. Axel didn't protest.

"I've put the boxes in the trunk, I think we should call it a day, for your sake," Demyx said plainly. He was referring to the boxes of pictures and things Axel wanted to keep. There were only four. The redhead nodded before shuffling the papers in a neat pile and stuffing them in their folder again. They closed the window and locked the door behind them.

In an effort to ease some of the stress, Demyx and Axel breezed past a coffee place and got some hot chocolate to go. During the relatively silent ride back to the manor, it dawned upon Axel that Roxas was going to come home from the hospital today. It had been several days since he went and visited the blonde, and he was thankful he would have someone sane to talk to outside of the help. He was tired of having to clean with them just so he could have some simple conversation since he steered clear of Namine as much as possible. Larxene too, he was staying away from that crazed woman.

Has had some mild success with his avoidance of unwanted attention, he had only sat with Namine at breakfast a couple times and mostly saw her in passing. Larxene only passed him twice, both times calling him a 'faggot' but otherwise leaving him unscathed. He had heard Riku was released the day after his visit with Roxas but he hadn't seen him in the house. All in all it wasn't too bad, but he was starting to feel a little lonely.

When the pair pulled up in front of the manor, Xigbar was already there and helping Roxas up the stairs, who was hobbling along on crutches. Demyx exited the car to go help, and Axel waited until they were settled inside before trying to make contact.

***

"So? What'd they find?" Axel questioned. They were in Roxas' bedroom, the blond having been set up in his bed, and Axel trying to amuse the grumpiness away.

"Nothing was done to the bone, but the pin tore though some muscle. They put everything back together and now I have a cast for four weeks. I can do some movement after then but I have to be careful."

"Yuck."

"Indeed. It would've been longer had I not been in such good shape or so they said. I'm not sure what being in shape has to do with outside influences cutting me up inside, but I'll take it as a vote of confidence in my recovery."

"Sounds like a plan. So much for birthday debauchery though."

"Yes well, I would've probably been too busy to have any."

"But you sounded so positive when I mentioned it!"

"And I _was _positive. But then I was off my IV for a few hours and I gained my wits about me again. I apologize for getting your hopes up," Roxas noted the dejected look on his friend's face before sighing heavily. "If it means that much to you, I'll try my best to do whatever you want to do. I promise."

Axel's face lit up in a doofy smile, "yeah? I'm happy."

"Doesn't take much, does it?" Roxas quipped with a smirk.

"No, no it really doesn't," Axel grinned.

They sat and made small talk for a while before they ran out of things to talk about. Axel insisted they needed to figure out something to do before he went crazy.

"I've been so _bored_, Roxas!" Axel whined, draping himself across the foot of his friend's bed. He wondered why Roxas even wanted a bed this huge, he barely took up a quarter of it he was so small.

"Go out with someone and see a movie or whatever it is you do. You don't need me to amuse you all the time," Roxas said with a raised eyebrow.

"I would but then that would mean I would have to bother someone for a ride."

"Oh. I see what you mean. Do you have a license?"

"Yeah…" Axel was quite certain where this was going and he didn't know if he felt comfortable with it. Roxas leaned over and opened the side table next to his bed. He dug around in its contents before producing a set of keys and tossing them in front of the redhead. Axel shook his head.

"I don't even want to know what kind of crazy expensive car these belong too, take them back," he held the keys out of Roxas, who was stuck in place and simply gave him a look. Axel tossed them to him and he put them back in his drawer. After he thought about it, he _was_ curious to know what the keys belonged to.

"My Jaguar," Roxas stated simply.

"You drive a Jaguar, of course you do," Axel whined as he planted his face in the comforter.

"If you have a motorcycle license, you can take my Guzzi instead, or the Ducati, whichever."

Axel groaned his face full of fabric and down, "you're missing the point."

"I suppose I am."

No sooner had Roxas finished his sentence, his door was shoved open and it banged against the wall. Axel paled. He recognized that noise, even without looking to see Larxene standing in the doorway. At least this time, she was wearing regular clothes instead of her slinky nightwear.

"Oh my baby!" she gasped as she galloped across the room and threw herself on Roxas, squeezing him into her breasts. He let out a pained yelp as he let his bad leg drape off the side of the bed so she couldn't sit on it, the lesser of two evils for this case. Axel couldn't do anything to stop her so he just watched, making sure she didn't kill him. "Did you have fun with the doctor?"

Roxas let out a muffled response that caused Larxene to let him go and sit up. The blonde was flushed from the pressure of being smashed into his mother and Axel held back a snicker, making a small snort. Larxene whipped around to look at him causing Axel to lose all expression and color.

"_You_," she sneered with a glare. Axel could feel his testicles retreat up into his body. "What is your faggotry doing in the same room as my innocent Roxas?!" she screeched. "I thought we had a deal. Ah! You're even in his bed trying to seduce him! In his fragile state even! You're a heretic! Disgraceful!" Roxas put a hand on his mother's arm to stop her and Larxene whipped around again, backhanding the blonde across the face.

"Stay out of this! You're only just a boy Roxas! You know nothing!" she bellowed. Roxas rubbed his cheek; a shallow scrape from one of his mother's rings was starting to bleed a little. Axel's blood started to boil.

"That was uncalled for, lady!" Axel yelled. Larxene turned her electric anger back on him, and he waited for her response, prepared for the inevitable smack. She did nothing, but watched him for a minute. She took a deep breath and her demeanor changed completely. She smiled pleasantly. _This woman is psycho_, Axel thought.

"You and I have a date," she said calmly. Axel swallowed hard. He knew what she meant.

***

Roxas had been moved downstairs. He was grumpy about it but his mother had insisted that he needed to be present to the downfall of 'all that is evil in her house.' Or so she had put it, which inevitably had become a giant show of how asinine his mother could act. Axel looked amused.

Larxene and the redhead had taken one shot of Everclear together before she went off the deep end and started parading around the bar, babbling nonsense to anyone who could hear. When they had started it was obvious she had already been drinking for most of the day and the last one must have pushed her over the edge. She shoved a beer into Axel's hands and draped an arm across his shoulders before leaning in close to slur in his ear.

"I think yer _so_ cute!" she giggled.

"Wonderful," Axel said, setting the untouched beer on the bar. His mouth was still on fire from the shot.

"Buh don' think yer in the clear yet, babes!" Larxene said, grabbing the bottle of Everclear. Axel didn't want any more, he really didn't. The woman took a long pull from the bottle before sloshing it around and looking at Roxas. The blonde was watching the pair with a hard look in his eyes.

Larxene slammed the bottle on the bar before heading around and clattering underneath amongst its contents. She pulled out a shot glass and sloppily dumped the clear liquid in it. She wandered over, spilling half on the carpet and shoved it in Roxas' face. He looked at her and looked at Axel who was shaking his head like '_don't do it!_' The blonde didn't say anything, but took the glass from his mother and set it on the table next to him.

This action seemed to upset her because Larxene snatched the glass up and shoved it back in his face with a sneer, "_drink_." Roxas raised an eyebrow at her.

"I don't want this, mother," he said simply.

"Drink it," she insisted.

"I will not."

Larxene stood in front of her son for a brief silent moment. Slowly her face started to crumble and tears poured out of her bloodshot eyes. Roxas sighed as his mother started to sob. "Why are ya doin' this tah me Roxas' lovey?" she said.

Axel watched with surprised eyes as Roxas rolled his eyes and took the half-shot from his mother and gulped it down. He immediately started coughing and looking at the glass like it was poison. Larxene stopped crying suddenly, like someone had flipped a switch. Roxas glared at his mother.

"Happy?" the blonde asked, his voice cracking as he tried to talk though the fire.

"Totally!" Larxene chirped, suddenly very giddy. She skipped over to the bar and sloshed another shot into Axel's glass from before. She shoved it in front of the redhead with a smile. Axel looked at her, then at the glass. He was starting to feel the first one and he really didn't think he should do anymore. Larxene started to dig under the bar for something and Axel seized the opportunity to quickly dump the shot onto the carpet. When Larxene stood again, he was setting the empty glass on the bar and looking innocent. He heard Roxas stifle a laugh from across the way.

Xigbar wandered in just as Larxene was doing another shot of the fire water. He looked at Axel, then at the woman, then over to Roxas, then back to Larxene. The mother was holding onto the bar for stability which made Xigbar sigh and take out his Blackberry and start poking away at the screen.

"Wish you guys would have called me," Xigbar said. "How much has she had?"

"More than I have," Axel said. "How can she drink that shit? I've only had _one_ and I feel fuzzy already."

"Everclear is like modern day moonshine, kid. You're going to feel it a whole lot more in the next little bit, I guarantee it."

"What if you had only a little?" Roxas quipped.

Xigbar looked at the blonde with wide eyes, "she got you too?"

"She started crying when I refused."

The older man sighed and they all turned to look at Larxene who had fallen to the ground with a loud '_thump_.' No one seemed particularly alarmed. As if on cue, blue and red flashing lights poured though the window on the far wall, an ambulance had apparently been summoned.

"Roxas, no more drinking. You're not off your pain meds yet, and it was really stupid of you to drink _anything_. You'll both be fine eventually, but I'm going to take your mother to get her stomach pumped," the older man said, opening the door. There were footsteps echoing in a distance.

"I tried to refuse!" Roxas insisted. "It gets to me when she cries, I can't help it…" he trailed off. Axel would've thought it was cute that the blonde didn't like it when his mom cried if she wasn't so insane.

The paramedics poured though the doorway and hoisted Larxene onto a gurney and rolled her away. Xigbar followed, tapping away at his Blackberry calmly like he had done this many times before. Axel couldn't help but think that he had. Once everyone cleared out, Demyx was there with a bucket he handed it to Axel, who raised a brow in question at the other man.

"It's for when you start to barf," Demyx said simply with a curt smile. The sandy haired man milled around behind the bar for a minute before producing another bucket and handing it to Roxas. The blonde looked at him quizzically then sighed, waiting for the upchucking.

"I don't know about him, but I'll be fine, Demyx," Axel said.

"Oh you think so? That experienced already? Is your stomach made of steel?"

"I can hold my liquor. Believe me," he retorted back with a smile. He was feeling it, there was no doubt about that, but he wasn't completely obliterated. Past experience had built up a good tolerance for him. Roxas, on the other hand looked flushed and disgruntled. A good cocktail of pain medication and booze probably wasn't the best for him.

"You feeling yucky, Roxxy?" Demyx cooed, his voice betrayed the look of concern on his face.

"I'm not a child, Demyx," Roxas said, annoyed.

"Well, I'm sorry to abandon you in your time of need, Roxas but I _really_ hate the sound of people throwing up. I'm going to smoke, I'll be back," Axel said as he stood and made his way for the door. His legs were a little weak but otherwise he felt pretty good.

***

Axel snuffed his cigarette out in his buddy before retrieving his coat. He had taken it off because he felt too warm even though he was outside in the chilly air. Three cigarettes seemed like it was enough time to let Roxas get everything out so he headed inside. He wandered towards the bar area, taking his time, just in case. He really didn't feel like listening to the blonde emptying his stomach, that scenario usually had a chain effect on him. He hears someone vomit, then all of a sudden he's spewing right along with them. He hated it.

The bar was empty, both buckets were gone. In the distance, he could hear the echo of a door being shut, so Axel followed the noise. Demyx was walking out of the West wing with a bucket.

"He finished?" Axel asked.

"He never did anything. I'm proud of him, he held his own. He must have his mother's stomach for the drink," he smiled.

"Oh _wonderful_, just what he needs." They passed each other, and Axel knocked on Roxas' door before going in. The blonde was set up in his bed again, topless and munching on some crackers. A bucket was next to the bed, just in case. Roxas was chewing absently, a blank look in his eyes and his face was rosy. Axel had to laugh a little.

Axel pulled himself on the bed and sat at the foot cross-legged. He watched Roxas nibble on his crackers, amused with the scene. Roxas looked like he was feeling good, lubed up and calm, like he was in the hospital but less hyper.

"Hi," Axel said quietly.

"Hello."

"You feeling okay?"

"Mhmm."

"Good."

"I fink oo won," Roxas said around a mouthful of cracker. Axel burst into abrupt laughter at the sound. Roxas _never_ talked with his mouth full. He secretly wondered what other things he could get the blonde to do. It took him a minute to calm himself so he could speak.

"I did win. Now your mom has to leave me alone."

"She said that? Was she bothering you?" Roxas said after swallowing his mouthful.

"She was hitting on me a few days ago and when I refused to sleep with her, she called me a faggot and told me to drink with her to redeem myself."

Roxas popped another cracker in his mouth. "I shorry she did dat. She does dat wif Namine's guy fwends."

"Yeah, she thought I was her boyfriend or something. Did you know she's divorcing her husband?"

Another swallow, then a nod. "That explains why he hasn't come home." Roxas dug around in the plastic wrapper for another cracker and tossed one in his mouth before offering the package to Axel. The redhead took one and popped it in his mouth. Roxas sat quietly, thinking. He swallowed again before speaking.

"So, _are _you gay?" Axel nearly spit out his cracker all over the bed.

He gave the blonde a sideways look, "does it matter?"

Roxas shrugged, chewing "I gueth not."

"Why, are you?"

Roxas made a face like he was thinking very hard. He shrugged. "I've neber had a girlfwendb," he swallowed, "and the only intimate thing I've ever done was with Riku weather I liked it or not."

_Well _that_ was a loaded statement_, Axel thought. "I've never had a serious relationship with anyone. Girl or guy," then he blushed a little before continuing "I've had both, honestly. I don't… really know where I fit, I guess."

Axel startled a little when he realized Roxas was watching him very carefully, when he met his eyes, Axel had a hard time keeping contact and looked idly around the room, blushing and feeling very nervous. Roxas sighed a little and started shuffling himself clumsily around the bed until his legs draped over the side. He took up his crutches and hopped onto his good foot.

"Paaaardon me," he drawled before making his way for the bathroom. Axel laughed a little at the awkward statement. When the door was closed, he let out a breath he was apparently holding. Such a brash and open discussion about sexuality with _Roxas_ of all people was unnerving. It was not what he had intended on happening. He didn't want to talk about it in general since he had yet to figure it out himself. Was he gay? Wasn't he? Who knows? Does it matter? He could always put the moves on Namine and to see if he was even remotely attracted to her like that. She was pretty, but their relationship wasn't one of intimacy to say the least. The only other readily available woman around was Larxene and there was no way in hell he was touching _that_ minefield.

He flopped over on the bed, exasperated. Roxas exited the bathroom, his crutches clicking away as he crossed the room and stopped in front of a large cabinet that was next to his desk. He pulled it open and clattered around inside. To Axel's surprise, light poured out of the cabinet and he looked over to see it was a refrigerator.

"Whoa, I never realized that was a fridge."

"Fancy fancy, yeah?" Roxas said, still rifling though its contents. "Want anything? If you feel like drinking more, I actually have some beer in here, believe it or not."

"Would you think me an alcoholic if I said yes?"

"Not really," he said, he stood straight and stared into the fridge with a thoughtful look. "Well you'll have to come get it, I can't carry much."

Axel slid himself off the bed and wandered over to stand behind the blonde. The refrigerator wasn't packed to the gills like the one in the main kitchen but it was full enough to serve its purpose. It mostly held various things to drink, juices and water were the majority but in the back, he could see a six pack of some weird beer he had never seen before. The entire cardboard case was in German. Roxas dug around and shoved clear plastic box in Axel's hands as well as a bottle of juice and a beer. He closed the fridge with his foot and clacked away back to the bed and climbed in as well as he could.

Axel sat and gave the juice to Roxas who set it on his side table before opening the drawer and digging around producing a bottle opener and two plastic forks. He gave them to Axel before diving in the drawer again and producing a remote. The blonde dragged the plastic box near him and clicked it open to reveal assorted pieces of fruit, he looked to the redhead before patting the bed next to him where they could both stick a fork in the box and eat easily. Axel scooted his way over and settled into the pillows, popping open his beer.

Roxas settled back as well and held out the remote at nothing in particular. Axel was going to call him crazy when the lights dimmed a little and there was a short '_beep' _before a large television screen folded down from the ceiling and hung between the posts of the bed.

"What do you want to watch?" Roxas asked before twisting open his bottle of juice and taking a swig.

"Uuhh… I want to watch you push the button again and see the TV go up and down. That was awesome."

"Are you serious?"

"No, but I am surprised."

Roxas clicked around the channels for a bit before they settled for watching a standup comedian that wasn't very funny. Roxas' cell phone vibrated in his pocket and he flipped it open before bursting into sudden laughter. He held the phone out for Axel to see. Xigbar had sent the blonde a picture of himself standing in front of Larxene who was bent over the edge of the hospital bed, vomiting. The expression on the older man's face was priceless, he was holding a 'thumbs up' and he had an enormous grin spread across his face that went all the way up to his eyebrows. Axel laughed.

"That's a really twisted sense of humor, aren't you worried? You're mom is in the hospital."

"No, our doctors are really good and my mother is there so frequently it has lost its traumatic effect. I would be worried if she _wasn't _vomiting, because then it would all be in her system still and she would have a serious problem," the blonde said, sticking his fork in a large piece of melon and shoving the entire thing in his mouth. Axel was surprised and watched as Roxas struggled to chew, he chuckled a little which made the blonde turn away from his phone and notice Axel. Roxas blushed a little.

"I thorry, I thuolda bit that," he sputtered.

"No, no, don't be sorry, do it again. You look like a hamster."

Roxas gave him a look, "rerey Axthel? Name callink?"

"Yeah, that's right; I called you a hamster, _gimpy."_

Roxas slurped and wiped his mouth when a dribble of melon juice snuck out of his mouth. Axel started to laugh as Roxas glared at him and was finally able to swallow his mouthful. "That was a low blow, Axel. Gimpy?"

"Yeah. But it's okay, you know I only say it out of love," he took a swig of his beer. He really wished he knew what the label said, this was awesome beer. Roxas gave him a sideways glance.

"Love, huh? Well if you love me so much…" he said before leaning over and snatching the beer out of Axel's hand. The redhead was only able to utter a squeak of protest when Roxas upended the beverage into his mouth. Axel gaped at the blonde for a long silent moment as Roxas finished his beer, gave it back to him and promptly belched for a good three seconds.

"What. The _fuck_. Was _that?_" Axel said, with a huge grin.

"That was a burp."

"Well I know but coming from you it should be called something else. And you drank my beer! Do you know what kind of horrible social faux pas you just committed?"

"That was for calling me a gimp."

"But my beer!"

"Well go get another one. You're allowed to."

"Fine. I will. I may just stand over there where you can't get me and drink them all," Axel huffed, scooting his way off the bed and heading for the fridge. When he looked back, the blonde was unfazed by his empty threat and was comfortably munching on a strawberry, looking up at the television. Axel grabbed a beer and went back.

After about a half hour of unfunny jokes, Axel had to pee. He cleaned up the now empty plastic container and the forks and dumped them in the garbage on his way to the bathroom. When he was finished he came out to find that Roxas was standing, with his crutches of course, at the refrigerator again.

"Are you hungry, _still_?" Axel asked. He was surprised because they must've downed a half gallon of fruit pieces.

"No, I'm really warm," it was true; Roxas was simply standing in front of the open refrigerator letting the cooled air waft over him. Axel also noticed the light shade of pink that seemed to have washed his entire body.

"Well if you get too cold too fast you'll get lightheaded and pass out."

"I've _been_ lightheaded. Nothing new here."

"Yeah well maybe you should lay down then."

"Yes, mom," Roxas piped, clicking his way back to the bed. When he hefted himself onto the mattress, Axel noted that the blonde was covered in goose bumps but still flushed like he just went on a hike. Axel scooted across back to his spot and stuck a hand on the blonde's forehead. He was really warm. Almost feverish.

"Good god. You're burning up."

Roxas shrugged. "I feel fine though." Roxas sat for a moment before shivering lightly.

"So now you're cold?"

"I _did_ stand in front of the refrigerator for a good five minutes."

"Yes but you're sweating."

He simply shrugged again.

"Maybe we should call it a night; you should probably sleep and let things work through your system."

"I'm not tired."

"Well you should try, come on," Axel started to pull the comforter down near Roxas and yank it out from under him. They blonde didn't protest and moved himself around so the covers could be pulled out from under him. He was already pretty much dressed for bed. He supposed he could do without a shirt for just one night. Axel walked around the bed pulled the heap of blankets over the blonde's lithe body; he blushed a little when he realized he had just taken in all the lines and fine details that made up the blonde's physique. From his pert nipples all the way down the line of his chest and flat stomach to the line of fuzz that ran from his navel and disappeared under tops of his silk pajama pants. Roxas cleared his throat and Axel startled.

"What're you looking at?" Axel was suddenly aware he had been staring and turned a deeper shade of scarlet.

"Nothing," which was a total lie. Axel took the remote off the nightstand and fiddled with the buttons, not knowing which of the zillions to push. He fidgeted nervously, his hands shaking lightly. There was movement behind him and a hand touched his elbow causing him to startle so badly he dropped the device. The hand stayed on him and he looked over his shoulder to see Roxas sitting up and looking at him with an endless sea of blue.

"You're a horrible liar, did you know that?"

"And you're a horrible tease," Axel's hand flew up to cover his mouth in order to keep the word vomit from springing fourth anymore.

"How am I a tease? I haven't done anything."

Axel kept a hand over his mouth, afraid of what he might say. Roxas took a piece of Axel's shirt into his hand a tugged the redhead to sit next to him. Axel did so, but refused to move the hand away from his mouth.

"I suppose I'm a tease _because_ I haven't done anything, yes? What would you like me to do?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Are you sure? Because when your pants are stretched that tight, it generally means you want something."

Axel's eyes grew wide as he looked down at his pants. He did indeed have a very obvious erection and he blushed so hard he thought his blood vessels were going to rip through his skin. He snatched a pillow from behind Roxas and smashed it over his lap and looked away.

"You wouldn't say these things if you weren't so doped up on pain killers and booze."

"Probably not so openly, but I would've made an effort."

"You don't mean that."

"I do. Axel…" Roxas moved forward a bit towards the redhead. "It's okay. I'm not mad; you don't have to be so nervous. The truth is I've been trying my hardest to make you less anxious around me. When you came into my room the first day we met and you were so nervous, I was guilt ridden that I had such an effect on you. I never thought that_ I_ was the reason I pushed so many people away and basically turned myself into a social recluse. I've since then tried my best to make you comfortable and believe me when I say that I'm flattered that at least your body is on the same page as me, it makes me happy."

They sat in silence for well over five minutes. Axel tried to think past his anxiety and absorb Roxas' speech. In the back of his mind he couldn't help believing that this was all happening because Roxas was under the influence and by this time tomorrow, everything would have disappeared. He wasn't ready to accept the fact that there was some magical switch that someone had flipped in the blonde and all of a sudden he was ready to delve into uncharted waters. He just had to be sure.

"Get some sleep, Roxas. We can talk again in the morning once everything is cleared out."

"Oh…sure. I understand," the blonde sounded unsure.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

There was movement in the bed. It wasn't coming from Axel but he was vaguely aware of it happening. He was lying on his stomach, face in a sea of pillows with his arms up and tucked amongst them. He was aware the blanket had slid down his torso, leaving his naked back open to the elements. He was seriously hoping the giant dog wouldn't come up and stick its cold nose in his armpit. _Please don't let it be the dog, or the cat for that matter_, he pleaded silently as the bed dipped near him, a sign that whatever it was, it was very close.

A warm hand slid across the expanse of his shoulders, kneading lightly. Suddenly there was a weight on his butt as the person attached to the hands straddled him and made themselves comfortable. Axel was awake now, but he still couldn't see who it was. He tried to assess the situation without turning himself over. Whoever it was, they were small and not very heavy. They had small hands too. If he was a betting man, which he wasn't, he would've had to bet it was either Roxas or Namine. Since he didn't think Roxas would pull a stunt like this, he was going to stick with Namine. He grunted as the warm hands went to work at the muscles on his back kneading him a various places with velvety palms. It was very pleasant, but Axel had wished they would've asked before waking him up.

"What do you want, Namine?" he mumbled, his face still buried.

"Aw, how'd you know it was me?" she chimed, still kneading him.

"Roxas isn't so daring and you're not heavy enough to be anyone else."

"Good point."

Axel pushed himself up to prop himself up on his elbows and looked over his shoulder. Namine sat, perched on his butt and not allowing him to roll over. She smiled very pleasantly, her demeanor completely different than how it has been over the last week. It was bright. Excruciatingly bright. Axel squinted as the beginnings of a major headache started to creep in. _No more Everclear_, he thought.

Namine went back to work on his back and he surrendered and flopped his face back into the pillows. She giggled and massaged him for over fifteen minutes. Eventually, Axel couldn't take it anymore. He had to get up and pee or else he was going burst. Every time he tried to scoot from under her, she shoved him back and continued. He groaned and eventually hauled his legs up and lifted her as he moved himself to be on all fours. He righted himself to his knees and Namine flopped backwards on the bed with a squeal. Before she could compose herself he launched himself off the bed. He grinned slyly at her and went to the bathroom.

He relieved himself, brushed his teeth, splashed some water on his face, took some Tylenol for his growing headache and brushed his hair. He had hoped by the time he was finished she would've gotten the hint and left but he was wrong. He sighed heavily when he came out to see she was sitting peacefully on his bed, in only half of her pajama ensemble. Apparently she didn't feel the need for pants because it was blatantly obvious she had none.

"What do you want?"

"What do you mean, what do I want? Can't I give my friend a back rub without speculation?"

"You're not wearing any pants."

"You're not wearing a shirt."

"But I'm a guy, guys can do that and it's not inappropriate."

"So? It's my house; I can walk around in my panties if I want to."

_Damn_, she had a point. "Why are you in my room?"

"Do I really need an explanation? I just wanted to see how you were adjusting."

"By coming into my room without any pants on and rubbing on me?"

"Don't you do that?" she grinned.

"No, I don't," he said grumpily. His headache was slowly turning severe. He didn't want to deal with her; he just wanted to go back to bed.

"You don't seem to be very appreciative."

"I was sleeping. I also have a massive headache."

"Aw, poor baby," she cooed.

It was slowly becoming clear that she had no intention of leaving. Short of throwing her out or getting nasty with her, Axel didn't see much of an alternative. He could call Demyx to get her out, but that seemed petty. If all she wanted to do was give him a back rub, he could live with that. He slid himself back into the bed and pulled the covers around him tightly, hoping she wouldn't force them off of him so she could touch him. He buried his face in his pillows and pulled them over his head, to block the light.

Suddenly there was movement _inside_ the covers and a slender arm snaked around his waist as he was being spooned from behind. Axel froze, Namine giggled. She rested her forehead against his back as she rubbed his stomach and fiddled with his happy trail. Axel moved away a few feet to try and brush her off. He took a fist full of covers and pulled them down to cover his stomach, keeping a firm arm in the way.

"Just go away, Namine. Please."

"But why? Don't you like me?"

"Not in the way that would require you to play with my pubes, no."

Suddenly she was against his back again and her fingers were playing at the tops of his pajama pants. He startled and threw the covers off them and scattered the pillows around. He sat up and moved away from her. _What is her problem_?

"Why are you so shy?" she insisted.

"I'm not,"_ liar,_ "but I have a serious headache and I don't feel like playing your weird mind games right now. Please just get out."

Namine pouted and sat up, giving Axel a dejected look. He sighed. She looked so much like Roxas it was almost too difficult to get angry at her. He pointed for the door and gave her a glare. She sighed and slid out of the bed and wandered out into the hall, closing the door gently. Axel's headache was roaring at this point and he flung himself back under the blankets and pillows, finding sleep easily.

***

A few hours of peaceful sleep later, Axel was awake again and ready for the day. Apparently Namine had decided to molest him before her classes started so it was only about eleven thirty by the time he was dressed and walking around. He had called his work, and they gave him a time for tomorrow of when he could come back, he was thankful for the distraction. Luckily, he found his work shirt easily; it had been cleaned and neatly pressed hanging up in his closet. He wasn't sure he needed the bright orange polo to be ironed but whatever. Apparently his boss had hired some temporary help while Axel was out and she was thinking of keeping them around. Another guy, he was told. Good, at least he wouldn't be the only penis in a sea of vaginas anymore.

After having a smoke and some coffee, the redhead wandered his way up to Roxas' room to see how he was doing. When he entered the blonde's bedroom he was propped up in his bed neatly and was obscured by the newspaper he held up, only the top points of his swirly hair poked above. Axel made his way over and sat next to his friend on the edge of the mattress and waited for him to finish.

"Good morning," Roxas said placidly, folding the paper closed and setting it aside. He had his glasses on again.

"Morning. How're you feeling?"

"I spent most of the morning vomiting. How're you?"

"I'm okay. I had a headache but then I slept on it again and I'm okay now."

"I'm envious."

Axel gave him a sheepish grin, "hangovers suck."

"Indeed. Though the pain medications help a great deal, it just doesn't stop the nausea."

"Yeah…" he hesitated before continuing, "so do you remember all of yesterday? You were pretty out of it," he added quickly.

"I remember most things. It got a little hazy after my mother had me drink that foul shot of Everclear. But I didn't completely lose it until I drank your beer. That was a mistake. I apologize for anything inappropriate I may have done."

Axel laughed a little, "no need for apologies. I had fun." He hesitated again, "you ah… really don't remember anything at all after that?"

Roxas furrowed his brows in thought and rubbed his forehead some. After a moment he shook his head. "I remember you calling me a hamster and how unfunny the man on the television was but not much else. Why? Did we do something important?"

"No, nothing important. I was just curious," he lied.

"Oh. Well, at least it wasn't anything important."

"Yeah."

"What are your plans for the day?"

"Oh I don't know. I may call a few people and get some things straightened out with my mom's stuff. I'm considering just passing the buck to a lawyer so I don't have to deal with all the paperwork."

"That would be a good idea, in my opinion. I can give you some numbers if you like."

"I would appreciate that. But other than that stuff, I don't have much else to do. I go back to work tomorrow, so at least I'll have that to keep me occupied."

"Do you like your job?"

"Eh, it's okay. It's a job. Throw some fruit in a blender and people give you four bucks for it. That's all there is too it really. Though my boss did hire someone else while I was out so I may have to train some kid to run the register or whatever."

"Sounds, fun?" Roxas questioned, not sure how to answer.

Axel laughed a little. He had a weight on his shoulders since hearing Roxas say he didn't remember the important parts of the evening before. He half expected that to happen, but he had hoped it wouldn't. "Eh, like I said it's a job. I don't particularly enjoy it but I don't hate it. It's a way to make money and pass the time."

"If you wanted to quit to do something you enjoy, you could you know. I would support you."

Axel looked at Roxas. The blonde's expression was soft but placid. He was serious. "I don't know what I would do."

"Well, you could go back to school, or take up a hobby. After that, if you _really_ wanted to work, you could help out around the manor."

"I'd feel like a leech though. You're my friend; you're not supposed to support me financially."

"You forget you're a member of my household now. I don't feel obligated to take care of you, I want to. You wouldn't be here if I didn't."

Axel sighed. "I'll have to think about it. Thanks for the offer though, it's very generous."

"You're quite welcome. I hope you'll take me up on it."

"Why?"

"Because if you go back to school, it can only benefit you. It's a good thing to do."

"I suppose," Axel stared off at nothing in particular. He hadn't considered going back to school. He hated school, but Roxas did have a point. A degree could only benefit him in the long run and if the blonde was offering to pay for his education then why not? He had to consider what to go for, but he was sure it could pan out eventually. If he got _really_ bored he could always work part-time at the smoothie place.

"You have something on you mind," Roxas stated, snapping Axel back to reality.

"I was just considering school. I don't even know what I would go for."

"Take a year and try some things out, it isn't a crime to take your time with it."

"You have a point. I'll look into it."

"Good."

***

Axel's boss was a nice lady. She never put too much pressure on her employees and was lax about giving people time off when they asked. She smiled a lot and was pleasant most of the time. She smiled wide and went to hug the redhead when he came in for his shift. He hugged her back readily, already feeling her sympathies without her having to say anything.

"You okay?" she asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Okay. Let's go meet the new kid."

The new kid, as he was called was named Sora. He seemed nice enough, spry and attentive, with a kind and gentle smile constantly spread on his face. Axel thought for a moment, watching Sora talk to their boss, before it came to him.

"You know Roxas," the redhead stated simply.

"Yes I do. I go to school with him," Sora said with a wide grin.

"Selphie's brother."

"Yep."

Then Axel thought about the gigantic sandstone colored mansion they had driven past the day they had all played baseball together. That kid lived there? Why was he working?

"As you can see it's pretty dead today, so you guys get acquainted and clean or something. I don't really care what you do just look busy and don't steal anything. I'll be back later tonight to close. Have fun," their boss said as she made her way for the door.

Once the front door closed, Axel turned to the brunette and sized him up. Was there some sort of chemical in the water in those mansions that made everyone so short? What was with his hair? And damn, those eyes were really blue. Sora looked up at Axel, waiting to be told what to do, when the redhead didn't say anything he fidgeted.

"So why do you need a job, anyway?" the redhead questioned with a hard voice. He had memories of the dialogue Selphie and he had shared about this kid and Riku ringing in his head. He didn't try to hide his annoyance.

"Because it looks good on a resume," Sora said simply.

"Oh."

"What's with the tattoos on your face?"

"I was a rebellious kid."

"You don't seem that much older than me."

"I'm not."

"Oh…" Sora had run out of pressing questions and he shuffled his feet.

Axel sighed; he had some pity for the kid. Perhaps what Selphie had told him was as deluded as what Namine would say about Roxas. He decided to give Sora the benefit of the doubt.

"So you go the Academy? What's that like?"

"Boring, really," Sora perked up a bit, "it's like any other school I guess, except they poke at you to sit up straight and yell at you to eat with the right fork at lunch. Other than that it's pretty normal I suppose."

"I couldn't imagine being monitored constantly like that. I went to public school so I'm not as refined."

"I always wanted to go to public school. At least there you have some variety in the people you can talk with."

"I can imagine that being an issue."

Axel looked around the store. None of the tables looked like they needed to be wiped, and the floor wasn't too bad either. The blenders and machines were clean and the counters were wiped. There wasn't anything to do. Even for a Tuesday evening it was completely dead, no one wanted a cold smoothie when it was pushing the forties outside. The silence between the two was starting to get stifling.

"How long have you worked here?" Sora asked after an eternity.

"Two years."

"Oh wow. This is my third day. What should we do?"

"Stand around and be handsome I guess, it doesn't look like anything needs to be done."

"Oh."

Axel moved around the counter to take a seat at one of the tables. He was blatantly ignoring the order to look busy but he knew his boss didn't really care about that. She was putting on a show for Sora. The brunette hesitated before sliding into the seat across from the redhead.

"So… how do you know Roxas?"

"I'm living with him."

"I didn't know that. He hasn't mentioned you."

"Well it was sort of sudden."

"I see. I heard he hurt his leg, and that's why he's been out of school. He sends that Zexion guy to get his lessons, but he has to be falling behind."

"You could call him and go over to tutor him," Axel suggested.

"I would but his mom doesn't like me."

"Does she call you a faggot too?"

Sora laughed and shook his head, "no, nothing like that. Our families don't get along anymore."

Now, Axel was interested. "Anymore?"

"Yeah, his family and my family used to be business partners. They own several large chains of hotels and restaurants while mine owns a chain of casinos. About eight years ago though they broke apart and went their separate ways. It was messy. Since then I haven't been able to see Roxas outside of school."

"Huh. I didn't know that."

"Oh no? You've never heard of the MeadowLark casino and hotel chain? Now it's just the Larkspur Casino, but the former is what most people remember it as."

"My father used to gamble there every Friday night."

Sora smiled, "so you do know."

"So then the Clear Meadow Suites must belong to Roxas' family?"

"Exactly."

"Huh. Learn something new every day I guess."

"The company is going to change its name again here in a few months to The Golden Lark, we partnered with another family."

"Oh yeah? Anyone I've heard of?"

"The Goldsmiths?"

Axel shrugged. "Never heard of them."

"Oh, I thought since you knew Roxas you would know Riku."

Axel's eyes widened as his blood started to curdle. He tried to hold his rage down when he spoke, "I know Riku…"

"Oh you do? I like him, he's really nice," Sora said happily, not noticing the vein popping out of Axel's forehead.

"I don't like him."

"Why not?" the brunette questioned.

"He's a sick fuck," he said before he could stop himself. Sora looked at him with wide eyes.

"Why do you say that? He never did anything wrong."

"That's not what your sister told me."

Sora rose an eyebrow in question, "what did she tell you?"

Axel couldn't help himself, "she told me you and Riku liked to play rough together. That he forces you to do things and you _enjoy _it. I walked in on Riku trying to force himself on Roxas and I choked him until he passed out. I. Don't. Like. Riku." The confession spilled out of the redhead fueled with anger, Sora blushed a deep crimson and put a hand to his cheek, looking away. Axel sort of felt bad, he had dropped a major bomb on a kid he had just met, but when it came to Riku, he had little control.

"Oh wow… you know more about me than I cared for you to know, then."

Axel gaped. "So Selphie told me the truth then?"

"I'm afraid to admit it, seeing your face as angry as it is."

"I don't believe this," Axel rubbed his eyebrows between his thumb and index finger, leaning back in his chair.

"I don't know what to say."

"Don't worry about it. I'm not staying here," Axel stood and headed for the phone. He called his boss back to the store and she hurried over right away. When she got there, he handed her his nametag and orange polo and walked out.

***

The next three weeks passed with relative peace. Axel's mother was cremated, and the house was set up for sale after his mother's friends cleaned it out. Their affairs had been organized by a very nice lawyer Roxas had recommended, and everything for the most part was finished. He tried to push everything out of his mind, to let it all go like he was taught to do when his dad died. The police hadn't contacted him anymore and Larxene had left him alone like she had promised which made it easier. Namine seemed calmer too. He was thankful for the lull in activity.

"So what do you want to do for your birthday?" Axel said, flipping the page of a magazine as he sprawled himself all over the foot of the blonde's bed.

"Nothing."

"Aw, come on don't be like that. You get your cast off soon so we should go do something."

"I'm not going to able to do much."

"It doesn't matter. We'll think of something, we've still got a week."

"I'm not drinking."

Axel laughed. "Okay."

"I'll drink when I don't have to take my pain medication."

"I think that's a good idea."

"Let me make this clear as well, no prostitutes, piercings or tattoos either."

"Aw and I had lined up a whole group of hookers to come see you, too," Axel grinned. "The extra drippy kind, you know the ones with all the STD's."

Roxas gave him a stone cold look which only made the redhead laugh. There was a knock at the door and Namine came in with a paper bag.

"I got your prescription," she said as she set the bag in Roxas' lap. Axel was aware that he was going to be taking a lower dosage of his pain medication now which was a good sign.

The blonde opened the bag and pulled out the orange bottle, looking at the label. He opened it, and scrunched his nose at the pills inside before digging out two and examining them. "These don't look like the same pills."

"They're not, stupid. They're a lower dose," Namine said.

"But they shouldn't be so different; they're not even the same color."

"Maybe they changed it to a generic or something. Just take them," she insisted. She walked over to Roxas' refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water and gave it to him. He took it from her and set it aside before pushing his glasses on his face and scrutinizing the label, Namine rolled her eyes before leaving.

"You don't have to take them if you're so suspicious," Axel said.

"It says it's the same thing, but it's strange that they would be so different. Ah well. What's the worst that could happen? I get rushed to the hospital and have my stomach pumped and then we sue the pharmacy?"

Axel laughed, "I guess when you put it that way you have nothing to lose."

Roxas shrugged a little before popping the two pills in his mouth and drinking them down with the water. He pulled his text book up and resumed studying while Axel went back to his magazine.

After a while Roxas began to feel warm and he picked up the bottle of water and pressed it to his forehead for relief. Axel looked over.

"You feeling okay? You look a little flushed."

"I just got very warm all of a sudden."

"What are the side effects of those pills? Here, let me see," Axel moved off the bed and took the bottle off the night stand to read the label. "Dizziness, nausea, drowsiness blah blah… nothing about a high temperature. Maybe we should call Xigbar."

"I feel fine otherwise; I think I just need to cool off," Roxas moved his book to the side and went to push the covers off himself. Axel went to the blonde's armoire to find a t-shirt so he could change out of his pajama top, which was thick and had long sleeves. Roxas was in mid pull-down when he gasped and pulled the covers back, blushing horribly.

"What? What happened?" Axel asked, after hearing the gasp.

"Nothing," Roxas chimed, not looking at him.

"Okay…" he handed the other a t-shirt.

"Thank you," Roxas unbuttoned his pajama top and shrugged it off before pulling his t-shirt over his head.

"Do you want some ice or something? You're sweating," Axel asked, noting on the bead of perspiration sliding down the blonde's cheek.

"I'm fine," Roxas responded too quickly.

Axel quirked a brow at his friend, Roxas noticed and looked away. The redhead moved to help the blonde pull the covers down, but Roxas held onto them with a death grip.

"Come on, you need to cool off. You're going to pass out."

"No I won't. I'm fine," he insisted.

"What is your _problem_?"

"Nothing! Nothing."

"You're acting really weird."

Roxas sighed, he was having a hard time denying his quickening pulse and his sweating. He let Axel pull the covers off him but shoved a pillow over his lap almost immediately. Axel gave him a strange look but ignored it any further. He stretched himself across the foot of the bed again and went back to his magazine. After a while Roxas pulled another pillow over his face and scrunched himself down the bed to try and disappear. Axel huffed, annoyed and went over to Roxas and ripped the pillow out of his hands.

"What is your issue?" he insisted.

"I believe Namine tampered with my pills, I'm having a problem."

"Well let's call Xig—"

"No! Don't. Don't call Xigbar. Please."

"Okay… should we call an ambulance?"

"No."

"Well then what should we do?"

"I'm more concerned that you would think less of me."

"Why would I do that?"

Roxas didn't answer. Instead he crooked his finger at the redhead in the universal sign of 'come closer.' Axel leaned closer expecting the blonde to move in and whisper something to him. Instead, he received a light kiss on his nose which made him sit up straight and look at Roxas, hopelessly confused.

"What was that for?"

"Testing you."

"Should I have studied?"

Roxas laughed, a breathless sound. He pushed himself upright and smiled pleasantly at Axel, cheeks still rosy. "Before I go any further I need you to do something for me."

"Sure, okay," Axel responded, feeling suspicious.

"See my little plant over there? I want you to smash it, then I want you to lock the door and come back here."

He gave Roxas a disgruntled look. He saw the house plant across the room, it was well taken care of and it seemed like a shame to just up and smash it. But as he approached it he could see why the blonde had asked him to. Tucked in amongst its leaves was a tiny camera and microphone. It wasn't very well hidden but it was covered enough that it would take a while for someone to notice. He ripped the thing out of the plant and crushed it under a thick book. It broke apart easily. Then he locked the door like Roxas had asked and went to go sit next to him.

"Why did you have a nanny camera in your plant?"

"Namine put it there about a week ago."

"That's really creepy. Was she watching you getting dressed?"

"I don't know if she was. I think she was trying to catch me doing something that would get me in trouble. I believe I told you before that if I was to do anything lecherous, she would be the one to inherit everything?"

Something in Axel clicked, "I get it, now. I overheard her talking to Selphie before; she said she was 'running out of time.' I assume the time is your birthday?" It all seemed so simple yet horribly twisted.

"Exactly," Roxas panted. Axel looked at him, concerned. "I'm sorry Axel I'm having a hard time controlling myself," the blonde reached forward and gave the redhead a hard tug on his shirt sleeve, pulling him over. Axel let out a yelp of surprise as he nearly collided with Roxas' cast. He didn't have much time to recover before his face was taken in the blonde's velvety hands and their lips pressed together with bruising force.

Axel tried to back away, totally taken off guard and not knowing how to react. He was kept in place by a small yet strong hand tangling in his hair and pushing him forward. He mumbled in protest against Roxas for a few seconds before the blonde released him, his cheeks flushed but his face looking like he was fighting with himself. Roxas put a hand to his forehead and flattened one against his chest, feeling his heartbeat.

"What am I doing?" the blonde whispered to himself.

"I'm not sure what to do here, Roxas," Axel said, panting a little. He stood, preparing to leave, having seen Roxas have an internal conflict with himself. The blonde's hand shot out and grabbed onto the redhead's sleeve.

"Don't go. Please," Roxas pleaded helplessly. When Axel turned and looked at him, his heart sunk at the look in his eyes. Roxas looked lost; he really didn't know what to do. The pillow had fallen to the side and it was very obvious what his original 'problem' was. Axel's mind flicked back to when Roxas was talking through a mouthful of crackers about how he had never had a girlfriend or any fruitful relationship before. He wasn't sure how he should continue, but Roxas' pleading look insisted that he stay.

"Scoot over," Axel said and Roxas shimmied his way over so the redhead could sit comfortably without the threat of crashing into his bad leg. He lounged across the bed and draped an arm on the opposite side of the blonde's torso so he hovered above him. Roxas shrunk back into his pillows and he looked up at the redhead through a piece of stray hair. Axel took the smaller boys face in one hand and brought their lips together in a less forceful manner, Roxas immediately responded and put a hand up to run across the other's chest.

Axel took that as an invitation and dropped his hand from Roxas' cheek and snaked his fingers under the boy's shirt and feel around. The blonde immediately broke their kiss and twitched away from his hand, starting to laugh.

"Your hands are cold!" he yelped before Axel grinned and adjusted himself before shoving both hands under his shirt feeling lithe muscles twitch under his touch. Roxas was giggling away with a lighthearted smile that made Axel's heart melt and want it to never stop. This side of Roxas was new, and very much like his sister when Axel had first met her. Soft and happy. Having the blonde react to him like this made his pulse quicken and want more.

Axel dropped his face into the crook of the blonde's neck and start kissing away at his pulse; he heard Roxas' breath hitch at the new feeling before relaxing under the sensation.

"Don't leave any marks," he whispered quietly.

"Mhmm…" Axel breathed, kissing his way down his slender neck.

Suddenly, there was a ball of fabric in his way and Axel's clouded mind couldn't comprehend it. He glared at the obstruction before pulling upwards, causing a breathless laugh to escape from Roxas, who proceeded to remove the offending thing allowing Axel to attack his collar bone, causing more giggling. The blonde's fingers combed through fiery hair and Axel sighed almost like a purr into his skin.

"Don't do that unless you want me to fall asleep," he said in a low voice. Roxas smiled and released him, letting his fingers trail down Axel's sharp features. Axel looked up at Roxas' face which was patient but slack with need. He realized he was being a horrible tease and smiled, watching his expression as he moved his hand down and ran a finger over the blonde's throbbing length through his silk pants. Roxas tensed and immediately had a shock of fear run though his eyes. Axel moved his hand away.

"We can stop."

Roxas had that look of internal strife again. He looked at Axel, then away, then at Axel's chest, then at his face, away again, and his eyes. "I don't know. I don't know how to react," he stuck the knuckle of his index finger in between his teeth in a nervous gesture, the cuts had healed on his hands leaving a couple light scars. Axel focused on the way they glistened against his fair skin in an effort to distract himself from jumping the poor blonde. His blood was racing though his veins and he didn't want to stop but didn't want to push him to the point of fear either.

The redhead decided to be a little daring. He slid one of his long arms underneath the blond and laid his head on his stomach. Roxas froze instinctively before Axel could weave his other arm under him as well, wrapping him in a firm hug. After a minute of mental adjustment, Roxas let out a breath and laid one hand on Axel's shoulder and combed his free hand though his hair. Axel closed his eyes and sighed, nuzzling the blonde's navel a little.

"I don't think I can do this yet, Axel," he said quietly. The redhead nodded.

"We don't have to if you don't want to."

"I want to, I do," he insisted. "I'm just… nervous? Afraid? I can't explain it," he sighed and put his head back against the pillows to stare up at the ceiling. Axel pulled his arms away from his torso and Roxas suddenly felt very cold as he removed himself and sat up.

"If I fall asleep in here and Namine catches us, it's bye-bye money, yeah?"

"Don't say it like that; it sounds so petty that way."

"Well it's true."

Roxas sighed heavily. Axel sounded hurt and there wasn't anything he could do to help him. When he had touched him, it automatically brought up memories of Riku, the only other person to have touched him like that. He knew in his mind that Axel wouldn't hurt him but the overwhelming fear he felt blocked everything else out. Axel moved to the edge of the bed and stood, picking his magazine up.

"Wait, no, Axel," Roxas sputtered. "You don't have to go."

"Yeah I do," Axel looked at him then with a faltering smile.

"The door is locked, no one will barge in."

"That's even more suspicious."

Roxas had a hard feeling in his gut and instead of feeling rejected and hurt he started to get angry. He glared at the redhead, "I don't know what else to say! Just get the fuck back over here!" he bellowed.

Axel's face blanked for a brief second before he registered what had just happened; when he came to, he couldn't help but bust into uproarious laughter at the blonde's expense. Roxas glowered at him.

"Oh wow, that was very convincing."

"You're frustrating me, I can't help it!"

Axel continued on for a few minutes before calming down and wiping tears from his eyes. He had never heard Roxas swear before and it was hard to take him seriously when he was pitching a tent in his pants and looking so flustered. He wanted to take a picture.

"I'm sorry I'm such a tease," he admitted sheepishly.

"You _are_ a tease. I don't like it."

"I said I was sorry. But you really need to think about this. You're so close to turning eighteen that it would be a waste to ruin it now. We're only a week away, you know. Plus, I have this itch in the back of my brain saying that it's the drugs that's making you want this so much."

"You're being self-conscious."

"Maybe, but I don't want this if you're all weird and out of your mind. It creates a bunch of unwanted drama that I don't care to have," Axel said as he made his way to the bathroom. He resurfaced with a bottle of lotion and some tissues; he set them on the nightstand. Roxas looked at them, then at Axel, and then he blushed.

"Oh please, you think I have no self control?" he huffed.

"You should see yourself right now," he said, cracking a smile. Roxas threw a pillow at him with as much force as he could muster. Axel barked a laugh and threw it back, before making his way to the exit.

"Goodnight, Roxas."

The blonde huffed and crossed his arms, "goodnight."

He was halfway down the hall when he saw that his door was open. Namine was sitting in his bed again, arms crossed and looking stern. When he entered, she got up and tried to walk out. Axel grabbed her arm and held her in place just long enough to state:

"I'm on to your bullshit."

She simply smiled, and shrugged him off, closing the door behind her.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It was breakfast time. Gloria rushed around the kitchen, preparing a couple eggs for her _adorable_ son. She knew just how to cook them, not too firm, but not too runny. She smiled pleasantly as Axel groggily wandered in, rubbing his eyes and taking a seat in one of available chairs. He yawned wide as a plate of fluffy eggs was set in front of him with toast and a glass of juice.

"Thanks," he muttered and looked over. Her back was to him and she waved over her shoulder as she fussed with dishes in the sink. Axel ate in peace and went to hand his dish over to her when he noticed she was crying, quiet heavy sobs. He dropped the plate on the counter and turned his mother to face him, worry weaving though his expression. She smiled weakly but wouldn't say anything to him.

"What's the matter, ma?" he insisted, giving her a light shake to try and snap her back to reality.

"It burns, baby. It burns," she wept with a crooked smile.

"What does?"

"My skin," she said simply.

"I'll call you an ambulance, hang on," Axel turned to head for the phone but his mother grabbed onto his arm to stop him. He turned to face her and his eyes widened at the sight.

Before him, his mother stood with a black mark boring into her forehead. Lines weaved across her pale skin slowly taking shape of a tree with snake-like roots and branches. Inside the tree a large bird formed, her skin sizzled and she started to scream, her face twisting in unnatural ways. Slowly her voice died away to a sickening gurgle as blood spewed fourth from of her mouth and splattered across his face. A deep gash spread across her throat slowly as a cascading fall of crimson saturated the front of her blouse. She released Axel's arm to claw at her throat, pulling large pieces of flesh away as she continued to gurgle screams through the new opening in her neck. She stumbled forward and clung to his chest helplessly, coating her son in a film of thickening blood and tissue.

"Why did you leave me alone?" she hissed though her open throat before her head bent too far backwards to be natural. There was a loud wet pop as her head dislodged itself and fell behind her body with a moist slap against the linoleum.

Axel woke up screaming.

He sat for a moment in his bed panting, his eyes wild with incomprehension. After he was able to gather that it was all a dream, he looked at his alarm. The iridescent green letters told him it was five thirty, way too early still to be awake. He lay back against his pillows and tried to close his eyes but it was futile effort. Nothing like watching your mother die to wake you up in the morning. He sighed, trying to push the images away. His eyes flicked to where his mother's ashes sat across the room on his dresser, it was too dark to see the urn, but he knew it was there. He wasn't sure he could live with them looming over him. He had to figure out a nice place to spread them for his own peace of mind.

He showered, and brushed his teeth before exiting his room to wander. He stopped outside to smoke and was surprised to see Xigbar already out there, who was equally surprised to see the redhead awake so early.

"What's up?" the older man asked.

"Eh, I had a rough night," it seemed sort of childish to start out with 'I had a bad dream!'

"Oh yeah? I heard Namine messed with Roxas' meds last night. Poor kid almost had a heart attack."

Axel froze mid-inhale. How much did Xigbar know? "Yeah, he was having some issues. He asked me not to call you, so I didn't. Was it bad?"

"It made him sweat a lot and his blood pressure had to have been sky high, but he seems okay now. He insisted he didn't need to go to the hospital."

Axel let out a breath. "Well that's good." They smoked in silence for a long minute. "Are you always up this early?"

"Yep. It's the only time I have to myself."

"Oh sorry, I'll be out of your way."

"Nah, you're fine. You're sane."

Axel gave him a grin, "thanks." He certainly didn't feel very sane this morning. It was a cold October dawn. Frost had set in across the expanse of the grounds and the grass sparkled in the dim morning light. Xigbar's coffee coiled steam from the mug and Axel was envious of the brew. He wanted some. Being outside in this peaceful setting made forgetting his nightmare a little easier but it still lingered in the back of his mind like an itch he couldn't scratch.

"Oh! I almost forgot," Xigbar exclaimed, setting his mug down and pulling out his Blackberry from his black pajamas. Axel noted his huge fluffy slippers; they looked comfortable. It was also obvious that Xigbar had boats for feet. The older man clicked away on the screen before reading something. "You got a call last night from some doctor guy. Named Victor? Vincent?"

"Vexen."

"Yeah, he left his number and wanted you to call him. I don't know if it's totally accurate though, the message was a little fuzzy and there was a lot of back ground noise."

"Okay, I'll try to remember to call him," a lump formed in Axel's throat when he thought about calling the doctor. He had been seeing him for several years after his father's death for therapy and he was the one who decided to send the redhead to the Institute once his behavior went south. He knew everything about Axel, which is not what he wanted to erupt in the middle of this household so he figured he'd play it safe and see what the man wanted.

"You look like you want to punch someone," Xigbar quipped.

"I sort of do."

"You don't like the doctor?"

"It isn't anything personal about him, it's just the circumstances surrounding that I don't like."

"Ah, I see."

"He probably wants me to come see him."

"Why? You got ongoing medical stuff we should be aware of?"

"Nothing that matters."

"Well if you have something we should accommodate, we can do that. You live here, kid, we should be aware of any problems you bring with you, yeah?"

"Well it's nothing physical."

"Oh. _Oh_. I get it, okay. Never mind then. If you need a ride, just ask me. I can keep a secret if it's something like that."

"I may just have to take you up on that."

***

"How did you even know where to contact me?" Axel asked. The doctor had insisted on him coming in for a visit using terms like 'trauma' and 'death' and 'mother.' The redhead was too tired by that point to argue so he figured he'd humor the man.

Vexen was flipping though his file, reviewing his past. He took a brief minute before answering. "A little birdie named Frieda was your emergency contact outside of your mother. I called her and she told me. I couldn't reach you at your home, so I became concerned. That's when I was told what happened." Bug-like emerald eyes landed on Axel's face and he resisted the urge to squirm in his seat.

"It's been seven months since you left us, Axel. How do you feel?" Vexen pushed a chunk of long fading blonde hair behind his ear and sat quietly with his hands folded on the folder.

"Fine."

"Even with all that's happened?"

"Yeah."

"You know that isn't true, I can see it on your face. One-liners never get you out of my office any quicker, you know that."

He did know that. Vexen was relentless once he had an inkling something was amiss. As much as Axel didn't want to talk about it he knew he would have to, the man was very good at what he did. The redhead sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"You can't just take 'fine' as an answer?"

"I'm afraid not, because you're lying to me. If it's easier I can ask a different question. Have you stayed clean?"

Axel gave him a sideways glance. "Yeah, I have."

"Fantastic. Glad to hear it. Have you had any difficulties with that? Any temptation?"

Axel started to laugh a little, his mind flicking back to the scene from the night before. _Temptation_. "No, I've pretty much kept to myself. There haven't really been any opportunities."

Vexen was scribbling away on a notepad, nodding a little. "I see, well that's fine. Have you made any new friends? Or contacted old ones?"

Axel moved himself around in his armchair to get more comfortable. He ended up with his legs over the arm rest and draped across the seat lazily. His torso was scrunched up so his neck could rest on the opposite arm rest. Vexen was about the only person, aside from his mother, that never seemed to make Axel go into a panic attack when he was alone with him. He accredited that to the fact that he has known the man for the majority of his life, and he really wasn't very threatening. Good qualities for a therapist.

"I've made new ones. The old crowd kind of fell apart once I left them."

"Well that's good. You seemed to have adjusted well. Tell me about these friends."

Axel talked for over forty-five minutes about the events that happened over the last month. He paraphrased his relationship with Roxas and Namine, but went into great detail about Riku and Larxene. He also talked about his concern about talking to the police and his nightmares. Vexen listened quietly to everything, jotting down the occasional note, and nodding at the right times. When Axel finished, Vexen continued writing for a moment before speaking.

"Tell me more about Roxas."

Axel looked at him. "Why? There isn't anything else to tell."

"You seem very fond of him."

He could feel the pulse in his throat quicken, "I guess I am. I dunno, he's a good friend. He's done more for me than what I can pay back in this lifetime, that's for sure."

"He seems very generous. I'm happy for you. It's a drastic change in environment from what you're used to, yes?"

"Yeah," Axel thought about his long forgotten deadbeat friends. The blurry faces zoomed past his minds eye as he remembered that they only hung around him when he had a fix; something to obliterate their senses away and make them numb. He must've been staring off into space because Vexen cleared his throat to wake him back up.

"We need to talk about your mother."

"There's nothing left to say."

"You're having nightmares similar to those that you had when your father passed. I think it's very relevant to your health."

"I'm dealing with it," he responded flatly.

"You don't want to reinstate your medications?"

Axel thought about that. For a year he had taken anti-depressants and mood stabilizers. He didn't feel out of control anymore even without them. "I don't think I need them."

"You're not having any problems with your rage?"

"I've been okay."

"Need I remind you that you just told me you sent that Riku fellow to the hospital?"

"Are you insisting I take meds again?" the redhead said, annoyed.

"I can't force you to do anything. I just want you to keep your wits about you so you don't do anything drastic and get in serious trouble."

"I won't. I promise."

"Alright. I'll let it go. I wish you would open up a bit more about your mother."

"I'm trying my best to not dwell. Isn't that what you taught me?"

"I'm flattered you remembered. I can't very well argue with my own logic now can I?" Vexen smiled pleasantly. "Will you come back and see me in a couple weeks?"

"I'd rather not, honestly. I'm trying to turn a new page," he smiled "nothing personal."

"No offense taken," Vexen smiled back. They both stood and shared a firm handshake. "I'm glad you came in though. Thank you for humoring me." Axel nodded and exited the office. Xigbar was waiting patiently in the waiting room, watching the fish swim around in a cylindrical aquarium lodged in the middle of the room. They left together in silence.

***

"You could have killed me you harlot!" Roxas bellowed from the upstairs. Xigbar and Axel looked at each other before running up the stairs. Namine's door was open. Roxas stood inside supported by his crutches. Demyx was between them trying to keep the peace and not succeeding. A bottle of very familiar pills was scattered across the room. Namine was laughing.

"You should see your face!" she laughed.

"Nami please! You really could have hurt him!" Demyx pleaded.

Roxas fumed. "I could have you arrested, you know that? What you did was highly illegal! You don't know what those things could've done to me."

"Oh I know _exactly_ what they did to you, Roxxy. _Exactly_."

Xigbar entered. "Okay you two, break it up. Dem, get out." The sandy blonde all too happily left with a heavy sigh. Roxas huffed and left behind him. Xigbar stormed across the room and took Namine's purse from her desk; he stuck his hand inside and dug around.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Xiggy?" she squealed. He didn't answer her. He retrieved her wallet and her keys from the bag before looking around the room and taking her cell phone and her laptop.

"I'm not twelve. You can't punish me like this! This is theft!" she insisted.

"I dare you to call the police on me, girl. If you want me to treat you like an adult, start acting like one. You'll get your shit back after Roxas' birthday," he glowered at her before stomping out. Axel was left in the doorway. Namine simply looked at him with a look of shock on her face. He shrugged and pulled the door closed.

***

Axel awoke from a restless and uneasy sleep. After watching Namine get punished and pretty much grounded like she was in middle school, he went back to his room for a nap. Regardless of how hard it was for him to sleep, he loved doing it. He reveled in the way he always seemed lighter when he awoke no matter how he felt before drifting off. This time was no exception. He rubbed the last remnants of sleep out of his eyes and padded his way into the hallway, nearly tripping on a box that had been placed in the doorway.

It was wrapped in metallic red wrapping paper, the kind you would expect to find under the Christmas tree. Other than that it was plain and had a label stuck to it. He smiled as he read the dainty scrawl.

_To: Axel_

_From: Roxas_

He took the box back into his room and sat on the bed to unwrap it. Inside, there was another box, but this one belonged to a shiny new Blackberry. Underneath the device there was an envelope. He set the bundle aside and peeled open the sticky paper and pulled out a card. It was blank. He opened it to find a plastic card glued inside with his name embossed on it and an account number. The silkscreened background of the card was of a city skyline with a neon sign shining on the tallest building silhouette. The sign read '_Clear Meadow Corporation_.'

He gave the thing a disgruntled look and peeled it off of the blank cardstock and flipped it over to discover it was a credit card. On the cardstock behind the clear glue there was a written note in the same dainty penmanship as the label.

_Welcome to my household_.

_Limit: $5,000_

Axel nearly choked. Roxas was basically giving him five grand and he didn't know how to react. Did everyone get these? Did Xigbar have one? Demyx? What about Larxene? It was such an alien thing to him. He had never had a credit card before. His mom didn't even use them. His hands started shaking as he held the tiny card. He finally understood what Roxas meant when he said he had made an account for him. He had thought about this that far in advance.

He turned his attention to the other box. The seal had already been broken and he pulled it open easily. All the packaging had been moved around but everything was there, the Blackberry, charger, extra styluses, and the direction booklet. He removed the device and looked it over. It was covered by a red silicone case but behind that he could see it was black, just like everyone else's. He clicked a button and it sprang to life in his hands. A welcome screen flew by of the phone company's name and logo before it clicked onto the home screen. It was blank except for the clock, calendar, and his name across the header. He had no idea how to use the thing so he haphazardly poked at the screen with a stylus until he stumbled upon the address book. There was a list of numbers already programmed in. It had everyone's; Demyx, Larxene, Marluxia, Namine, Roxas, Xaldin, Xigbar, and Zexion.

He smiled.

***

Roxas was busy. After having a good yell at his sister he felt he had a clear head enough to get some work done. His new prescription hadn't come in yet and his leg ached with the lack of pain meds to subside it. So long as he didn't move it around too much he was fine so there he sat, at his oversized desk, typing away. He had a zillion e-mails to go through. Several of them were from company executives wanting approval for some minor thing he could care less about and some were from his professors from his school, though only two were from Sora.

_Roxas,_

_ Riku stopped by and was asking about you today. Did you two have a fight? I heard about your friend abusing him and I'm concerned for your safety. I don't like what I hear about that guy and I would advise you to be alert. I'm sorry that you hurt your leg and I miss you at school. Get well soon, okay?_

_ I start a new job in a couple weeks. Father says that I need real world experience if I ever hope to get anywhere in life so I'm taking his advice. You know the smoothie shop in town? Yeah, I'll be there with that stupid polo on so stop by sometime okay?_

_Sora._

This was dated a few weeks ago. The smoothie place? Axel's work? He never said anything about working with Sora. Roxas furrowed his brows in thought. Was Sora the reason he quit? He brought up the next e-mail dated a week later.

_Roxas,_

_ I found out your friend works at the smoothie place with me. When we made small talk Riku came up and I thought he was going to punch me. He's scary, I don't like him. Riku has nothing but bad things to say about him. He even told me that he has a criminal record. Namine has it, you should ask her. If you're wondering how she got it, I'm only going to tell you that Riku's dad is an awesome guy and can get anything. His dad really likes Namine and keeps telling Riku to marry her so she can bring your families into business together. Wouldn't that be great? We could hang out together again by proxy! Think of the possibilities._

_Sora._

Roxas leaned back in his chair, mind reeling. Axel had a record? He didn't know that. Why hadn't he said anything about it? Then again, it really wasn't something that came up in general conversation. Roxas hadn't asked and in reality, he hadn't needed to. Axel didn't act like he had anything to hide so the blonde hadn't suspected anything, though he was always fighting the urge to ask about his tattoos. As if on cue, there was a knock on the door before being pushed open slowly and a tuft of red hair peeked into the library.

"I was wondering if you were in here," Axel said simply, making his way to a chair across the desk and taking a seat.

"Here I am," Roxas said as lighthearted as he could.

"How's your leg?"

"Painful. The pharmacy is taking too long with my prescription."

"Ouch, I'm sorry," the redhead said. He looked Roxas over before continuing, "I found your package. Thanks, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. Everyone in the house and employed by us has received the same things. It was only fitting we do the same for you. I only ask that you do not betray my trust in return," he said flatly, the text of Sora's e-mail replaying in his mind. He was aware of the fact that he had just given a criminal five thousand dollars to do with what he wanted. Albeit Axel was a friend and a trusted criminal at this point, but there was always that itch in the back of Roxas' very practical mind. He wished he had known about it before.

"Oh believe me, I won't. I don't even have the slightest idea what to spend it on."

"You don't have to use it at all. Xigbar barely touches his. Marluxia on the other hand, has issues. But that's really not information I'm at liberty to share."

"So what do you want me to do? I have to pay back the balance I rack up right? Do you want me to work it off here? Isn't that how it works?"

"Well I'm still on the fence as to what I would consider you. You're my friend yes, but you weren't exactly _hired._ You're not related to me by blood so you can't just spend it willy nilly like Namine does and not expect to pay it back. I don't know what I'll have you do. Maybe you can hang around one of the other hired hands and learn something of worth for the home front, yes?"

"Sure, I can do that," a goofy smile spread across the redhead's face as he thought of something, "should I help you bathe like Xigbar does since you can't get your cast wet?"

Roxas gave him a glare, "don't push it."

***

"Give me my phone back and I'll let you have the file," Namine pouted defiantly, a sucker stick poking out of her mouth.

"Or you could give me the file and I won't have anyone rip though your things to find it."

"You're so mean to me."

"You're being unreasonable."

The pair were in Namine's lavender bedroom. It had generally the same setup as Roxas' but was far more disorganized and unruly. She had so many posters taped to her walls one could scarcely make out what color they were, her laundry was strewn about and her books were scattered around where she sat, looking up at her brother. He had shoved around the debris on her floor with his crutch so he could have a solid place to stand.

"_I'm_ unreasonable? Your brute of a bodyguard took away my entire livelihood and _you're_ calling _me_ unreasonable?"

"You shouldn't have tampered with my medication."

Namine smiled wryly. She stood and wandered to her brother and draped her arm across his shoulders leaning in close, her breath smelled of cherries. "Aw, you didn't enjoy yourself?"

Roxas blushed and looked away, which made her giggle. He tried to shrug her arm off but failed. "I don't appreciate being forced into those kinds of situations."

"Oh you willingly took the pills, Roxxy, knowing they were different. Why oh why would you do that? I thought you were so careful with your body," she cooed in his ear.

"I didn't think you were so low, forgive me for being naïve."

"I'm hurt. I was only trying to coax you out of your shell a little but I can see I'm no match for you, nothing happened."

"Correct."

"But you wanted it didn't you, Roxxy? You wanted his hands on you," she sneered.

Roxas' eyes widened before his blood started to boil. He steadied himself before giving Namine a firm shove and she staggered away with a menacing laugh. He glared at her.

"I can see that got you going. I know how it went Roxas. You didn't think that the camera in the plant was the only one, did you? How stupid."

"You're bluffing," he growled, his face turning a deep crimson.

"Your face doesn't lie Roxas. You should see yourself. Nothing serious may have happened but good god you wanted him to plow your ass into oblivion didn't you? Just wait until mom sees how he affects you. You know how she hates faggots."

"I suppose she likes it more when you open your legs for any stray dog that will sniff your rancid orifices then?" Namine turned red with rage as she grit her teeth, she crossed the room and slapped Roxas across the face. He started to laugh.

"Beating a cripple is something I would expect from you."

"Get out," she demanded.

"Not without that file."

"Fine. Take the damn thing. I should warn you though, it makes your AIDS buddy look bad," she turned and dug into her book bag producing a manila folder and shoving it at him. He smiled cutely and tucked it under his arm before making his way out.

"Thank you!" he chimed before the door could click closed. He heard his sister scream and something glass being smashed against the wall. He couldn't help but smile.

***

"Right-o!" Demyx exclaimed happily. He was shoving an apron in Axel's hands. "I'm so glad you decided to learn how to cook! You'll be a great help."

"You've never seen me try to boil water then," the redhead grinned, tying the apron behind his back. He cocked a brow at the sandy blonde when he turned to see him giving him the once over. Demyx had a visible revelation and went to dig around in a drawer producing a rubber band. Axel yelped in surprise when his head was being tugged back and his hair being slapped together in a lopsided top knot.

"Okay that looks really stupid, I'm sorry," Demyx grinned when he was finished. Axel sighed and pulled his hair down again to reorganize it into something more presentable he ended up settling for a pony-tail sticking out of the back of his head.

Demyx went over to the refrigerator and shuffled around before coming back with an armful of vegetables. He let them scatter all over the counter in front of the redhead before picking up a knife and handing it to him.

"Get to choppin' newbie," he said with a grin.

***

It was several hours later and Roxas' was starting to go cross-eyed. He had been sitting on his bed in a sea of papers, reading them and doing nothing else. There was so much information to absorb and he didn't want to miss any trifling detail. Axel, apparently, had lived a very full life.

The blonde started to mutter to himself as he read another page, "juvenile detention, court, fines for… vandalism, petty theft, destruction of city property…" he sighed reading further. He flipped a couple of pages and stopped, his face paling a bit.

"Hollow Bastion Institute for the Mentally Unstable?" he said to no one in particular. He flipped through the papers trying to find a reason as to why this was here. He didn't have an opportunity to find one before someone knocked on his door.

"Roxas?" Axel said, poking his head in.

"Come in…" Roxas hesitated, feeling unsteady.

"I was just coming to call you for dinner," the redhead said, walking in. He stopped when he saw the spread of papers around the blonde. Pearl had curled up on the corner of the bed, crunching a piece of paper under her slight weight. He looked at the cat, then back at Roxas. "What're you reading?"

"You never told me you had a record."

His heart sunk. "Oh, shit."

"Oh shit indeed," the blonde agreed. "Sit."

Axel moved closer to the bed stiffly. He sat down and folded his hands in his lap neatly. For the first time in a long time Axel was really nervous to be around Roxas. He knew he should've told him about his past way before this moment but he didn't think it would become relevant. His hands started to shake as he thought about all the things he was ashamed of coming to light before them.

"Petty things like theft and vandalism don't concern me so much as these do," he slid two pieces of paper over to the redhead. Axel swallowed thickly and picked them up taking in the words 'assault' and 'possession' and 'institutionalized.' He set them down and looked away.

They sat in silence for a long time before Axel sighed heavily and spoke. "I was a really angry kid, Roxas. After my dad died I sort of snapped. I was the bully, the loner kid who picked on all the others. I stole lunch money and beat up the nerds," he wrung his hands nervously, prepared to smash every good thought Roxas had towards him.

"When I was old enough I had a small group of friends that would stick by me and we would smoke together. I tried anything anyone would give me. I smoked a lot of pot generally but I was stupid enough to try heroin and meth a couple times too. They didn't fuck me up as much as the acid did though. For whatever reason that shit threw me over the edge and the one time I tried it I almost killed someone.

We were hanging out behind some run down house and this kid was like 'yeah lets do some acid, I got it from my dad.' And I asked him I said 'your dad gives you this?' and he was like 'yeah my dad is pretty sweet,' and I said 'man I wish I had a cool dad like that,' and he said 'why is your dad lame?' and I was like 'no, he's dead.'"

Axel was having a hard time forming the words to his story in a cohesive manner. "So after that we did the acid and the kid started to get real cocky and mess with me, 'your dad's such a faggot that he up and died!' he told me which didn't make a whole lot of sense but at the time I was so messed up that I grabbed the nearest thing and hit him with it. It ah… it was a hammer."

Axel tried to shrink down as low as he could but settled for sliding off the bed and sitting on the floor. He rubbed his face before continuing. "Apparently the kids mom didn't like that I hit her son in the face with a hammer so she took us to court. I was sentenced to stay at the Institute for rehab and anger management until I turned eighteen a year or so later. I would then be re-evaluated and either charged with jail time or let go. I was let go. My therapist that I had since my dad died, Vexen, was like the head doctor guy there so I continued my therapy with him and got control of myself. I also finished school while I was in there." Axel pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged them.

"After I checked myself out, I pretty much kept to myself. I would sometimes go to the baseball diamond in the park and just wait for other people to show up and they would usually ask me to play. Sometimes I would wait all afternoon and no one would show. But then my bike was stolen, and I met your sister and her friends and by proxy, you," he sighed. "I'm happy I did. But I would understand if you didn't want me in your home anymore."

Axel didn't realize it but Roxas had already shuffled all the papers back into the file and was standing. He hobbled over to the redhead and put his hand in his fiery hair. Axel looked up. Roxas smiled.

"Let's get some dinner."

"You're not freaked out?"

"Everyone makes mistakes, Axel."

"Yeah, I suppose, but where did you get my record?"

"My sister."

Axel actually knew that already, "but where did she get it?"

"I'm not sure; I think it has to do with Riku's father."

"His… father?"

"Yes, Xemnas has his hands in a lot of the things that makes this city run. A lot of shady business deals and peoples pockets, so I'm not really surprised he obtained your information. What I'm more concerned about is _why_."

"You think it has to do with your inheritance?"

"At this point, I'm not so sure. You weren't a factor in my life until about a month ago and Riku hasn't had any contact with me since you attacked him. If they're not going after me, they wouldn't care about your file."

"Well you're not eighteen yet. We'll just have to wait and see, yeah?"

"Yes."

They came to the top of the stairs and Roxas sighed looking down the expanse. Axel stopped after a couple steps looking back at the blonde before snorting back a laugh. The poor kid was having a horrible time getting down the stairs. Axel moved back up and laid an arm across the blonde's slender waist and bent to scoop him up in his arms as gently as he could. Roxas resigned himself to being carried down the stairs like a child and huffed, crossing his arms. Axel laughed, setting him down at the bottom and dashing back up to get the boy's crutches.

"Thank you," Roxas said grumpily when he hobbled his way to standing.

"Thank you for not judging me," Axel retorted.

"Oh I'm keeping my eye on you, but I'm not ready to discount everything we've been through because of some mistakes you made in the past. I'm not that heartless."

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind."

***

He was dreaming again. Pearl was there. The cuddly ball of fluff was rubbing her face across Axel's cheek. She purred lightly and licked his earlobe. He laughed and ran a hand down her back, causing her to arch to meet his touch. She licked and licked at his earlobe over and over. He was slowly starting to get concerned that something was up with his ear. Suddenly the cat let out a ferocious screech and bit down causing Axel to scream and writhe in pain.

He sat up suddenly, his hand flying to his ear and coming away with blood. He touched it again and it hurt. It hurt a lot. And there was something hard and sharp attached to his earlobe. His mind reeled. He looked to his side and saw Namine watching him with a satisfied look in her eyes.

"The fuck did you do to me?" he asked, anger rising.

"I pierced your ear," she said with a smile. A piercing gun dangled from her hands. Axel jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom mirror. There in his earlobe was a large black stud about the size of a dime. It was thick, but it wasn't a gauge, it tapered off and had a back behind the lobe like a regular piercing; when he tried to remove it, searing pain shot through his ear and it started to bleed more.

"Oh I wouldn't do that. It's barbed. You'll rip your ear apart," Namine quipped from the doorway. Axel spun around, fire in his eyes.

"It's _what_!?"

"Barbed, like, the stud has hooks that face backwards so you can't take it out without doing damage. Don't you know anything?"

Axel mentally kicked himself for being such a heavy sleeper. He was trying his best not to rush across the bathroom and punch the girl in the face. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself. "Why?" he asked after he could speak.

"It's a camera," his eyes widened and she giggled at him. At one point in their relationship, Axel had thought that her laugh was cute, now it just made his skin crawl.

"Get out. Get out and stay away from me you sick bitch."

"Fine fine, have it your way. Don't think about covering it up, or else the next one won't be in your ear. Don't sleep to heavy now!" she chirped happily as she made her way out of the room.

Axel carefully wiped the blood off of his neck before making his way out of his room and down the hall. He didn't care what time it was, he just had to talk to Roxas. He knocked on the door before barging in. Roxas was sleeping soundly when the redhead poked him over and over again until he woke up.

"What is it, Axel?" the sleepy blonde asked, rubbing his eyes. He looked at the clock, registering it was two in the morning. Axel didn't wait for him to wake up any more before he clicked on the lamp on Roxas' night stand. The blonde groaned and blinked against the offending light.

"You're psycho sister just stabbed me through the ear with a camera!" he exclaimed. Roxas squinted at him before taking his glasses off the table and pushing them on his face. Axel sat down next to him and Roxas looked closer.

"She did indeed. I can see a lens. Why don't you just take it out?"

"It's barbed and hurts like hell."

Roxas blinked, trying to comprehend that notion. He furrowed his brows together after a moment. "They make things like that? That's awful. She tagged you like a piece of livestock."

"I'm not so sure this thing is supposed to go in ears or on people in general."

"Me either, really. Well we can just get a piece of tape and cover it. We can take you to see someone to get it removed later."

"She threatened that 'the next one won't be in my ear' if I cover it up. She did this while I slept Roxas! I don't want another one."

"We'll get you a lock for your door."

"Thanks but it's a little late."

"I don't know what else to do."

Axel groaned and ran his hands through his hair. He was at a loss as well. Roxas yawned again before sitting back against his pillows. Axel looked at his friend with pleading eyes begging him to think of something. Roxas looked tired but thoughtful. Axel's mind was running wild with all the things Namine would watch him do. Every personal detail about his day would be revealed for her and he couldn't stop it without running the risk of getting another piercing through his face.

"Oh god Roxas! She's going to see my dick when I pee," he whined.

"Well now. That's actually an interesting proposition. Perhaps you let her see all the disgusting details of human life. I'm sure that's not what she's hoping to see. Just ignore it and go about your day."

"That's an easy thing for you to say. You don't have one."

"But I've been living with them in my bedroom and bathroom for three months now."

"She's really that incessant?"

"She is. I'm surprised she went to this level directly with another person but she must be getting desperate," he shrugged.

Axel sighed, a defeated gesture. Roxas leaned forward and patted him on the shoulder.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

There is much one can learn from folding another persons laundry. Axel for one found out that Namine had some very slinky undergarments that were more or less tossed in a heap rather than needing to be folded. He and Zexion were sitting together in what was aptly called "The Bowels" of the manor, folding clothes. Namine had her lavender scented socks tossed to one side and Roxas' vanilla ones to the other. Occasionally he would run across a very obvious female sock but would give it a look, tempted to see if it was _really_ Namine's before tossing it into her pile.

He came to find out that the detergent they used is what gave off the various scents rather than the fabric softener. He had questioned Zexion about this fascinating process when they began collecting the laundry together. They had two smaller washers that ran at the same time, but one giant dryer to dry both loads at once. Zexion wasn't much of a talker and kept to him self for most of the time they worked together. He was patient with Axel though and answered all of the redhead's curious questions simply and with precise wording so that nothing was open to debate.

Eventually they had picked through most of the obvious laundry, huge boxers belonging to Xigbar while Roxas' were comparably smaller and the occasional middle sized pair that belonged to Axel himself. The bigger of the feminine socks and pairs of underwear belonged to Larxene and the smaller ones to Namine. Soon they were faced with a serious challenge though. Before them sat a pile of thongs all pretty much the same size, but the sheer number of them was enough to deter them into believing that not _all_ of them could belong to just one woman. Zexion picked out a few he remembered belonged to Namine and some to her mother. He then gave Axel a smirk nodding at the remaining pile.

"Be my guest," he said bluntly. Axel knew what he meant by that.

"You're not serious."

"It's less embarrassing when you're by yourself. Why do you think there's only usually one of us down here? It's an unspoken embarrassment we all share."

"My mom used to write my name in my underwear when I would go off to summer camp, I can just go get a sharpie and we could be done with this nonsense real quick. You could always get and eyeful and look for menstrual stains. If there are some, it's Namine's."

"Okay gross," Axel's stomach churned. "Why do you know these things?"

"It comes with the job. It's the kind of environment where you have to know _far_ too much about your boss in order to keep them happy. The way I get through it is I just keep telling myself that everything is clean."

Axel felt like crying as he picked one of the dainty things up and held it in his hands. Why the hell would someone want to wear these things anyway? It seemed like the most uncomfortable thing you could wear. It was like floss but you're your ass, and made of scratchy fabric no less. G-strings he imagined would be even worse. He could almost feel the chafing as he thought about it. He made a disgruntled face and picked a spot on the elastic waistband furthest away from the groin area and took a quick whiff before tossing it in Namine's pile. Zexion followed suit, not saying a word.

"Namine must be having a field day with this," Axel said when they finished sorting and moved onto the clothes that needed hangers. Zexion gave him a questioning look before Axel turned his head to poke at the giant black stud cemented to his ear. The slate-haired man nodded in comprehension.

Though it was difficult to sleep on, Axel quickly took Roxas' advice to ignore the device in his ear and go about his business like normal. He was sure Namine got a good laugh out of his deplorable cooking skills when he worked with Demyx and probably got bored when he worked with Marluxia in the greenhouse. He reveled in the thought of her hating herself if he made her hot and bothered when he lingered in the shower too long though, so at least there was some trade off. In the following days after receiving the new addition, he had come to enjoy picking at her and doing things solely to make her angry. He knew when it worked too because she had a certain look she gave him. It made him smile.

The days were winding down to Roxas' birthday. There was going to be a formal banquet held for the major executives of his soon-to-be-inherited company and of course his family. Apparently his father was coming into town and his older brother as well, simply to celebrate his birthday versus having anything to gain from it all. Axel wondered how well that would go over. He didn't have much time to dwell on the subject though because he was busy working his hands to the bone and absorbing the ways of the household. He followed Demyx, Marluxia, and Zexion around like a lost puppy most days and only ever had time to himself when he was getting ready to sleep.

He had visited with Roxas some but with his shiny new earpiece he was afraid to stick around very much. They never talked about what had gone on between them in the recent past. Roxas didn't seemed bothered by it but it was tearing Axel up inside. He was getting so many mixed messages from the blonde that if he thought about it too much he would get hopelessly confused and feel like he should lock himself in a closet for the rest of the day.

The closer the day of reckoning came, the more attention Roxas got. Do you have all the documents? Do your pants fit over your cast well enough? Are you caught up on your schoolwork? How're you feeling? Are you _sure_ you have all the right documents? Was that a sneeze? Are you catching a cold? Axel pitied him, some days he looked like he was being smothered.

The morning of the banquet dawned the redhead was assaulted out of his bed and rushed off to one of the spare rooms near Xigbar's in the lower level of the manor. Demyx, Zexion, and Marluxia had spent the night last night and were rushing around getting themselves together. Axel was shoved into the shower and yanked back out before he had much time to think. He was also informed then that he wasn't allowed to smoke that day.

Marluxia plopped him down in a chair in front of the vanity in the bathroom and gave him a thoughtful look over. Axel sat quietly, not really knowing what was in store for him. His hair was still dripping wet and he only had his boxers on. It was starting to get cold.

"What do you normally do with your hair?" Marluxia questioned.

The redhead didn't like where this was going. "I wash it and I brush it. Why?"

The rose haired man gave him a disheartened look and shook his head before draping a towel over his fiery hair and rubbing the water out. Axel made surprised squawks of protest and wanted to punch Marluxia in the gut once he stopped.

"What the _hell_ was that?" he barked.

"You can't go in front of Roxas' company looking like you do."

"What's wrong with the way I look?"

"Nothing, but you're not exactly clean cut. We all have to put on a straight face for this. Demyx isn't allowed to have any hair gel today if it makes you feel better, and here," Marluxia took Axel's hand and put it to his chin. Under the redheads fingertips he could feel a very soft goatee. He hadn't even noticed the facial hair on the man because of how well it blended with his skin tone but now that he was aware of it, it did show when in the right light and added a certain degree of masculinity to his androgynous features. Axel grinned and Marluxia gave him a glare.

"Oh such sacrilege!" he teased. Marluxia whacked him on the shoulder with a broad hairbrush before moving to dig around in the cabinets retrieving a blow dryer and a flat iron. "Can I at least put some pants on before we go any further?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I said so, that's why."

"That's hardly a valid reason, you know."

"Glad we had this conversation," he could tell Marluxia was not having fun today. The other man started to go to work on Axel's thick mane with the hairbrush, parting it down the middle and smoothing down any little pieces that wanted to stick up. Once all the knots and tangles were out he ran a glob of hair serum through the red follicles and went after it with a blow dryer. Once the hair was dry, Axel took a look at himself. He had never realized how long his hair was. When it laid flat it was almost past his collar bone.

"Whoa," was his reaction while running his fingers through it.

"I know. You look less like a sea urchin. Isn't that great?" Marluxia grinned before clicking the flat iron at him.

"Why do you need that?" Axel tried his best to ignore that last quip.

"We're going to flatten the frizz out and then we're going to pull it back."

"I'll take your word for it," he waved a hand dismissively and Marluxia went to work smoothing everything down. If it weren't for his sharp features, Axel would've said he looked too feminine once they were finished. Marluxia stood in front of the redhead with a hand under his chin, staring at Axel's face. He raised an eyebrow in question to him.

"We need some concealer. I'll be right back," and with that, Marluxia left. Axel was a little confused but started to shake his head in protest when the other man came back with what they needed.

"There's no way am I wearing make-up," he growled.

"Oh be quiet, you're the one who got tattoos on your face so don't blame me," Marluxia huffed. He made a good point. If you're going to put on a proper show for this crowd, you can't very well have facial tattoos flying around right? It didn't mean he had to enjoy it though. When he was finished Marluxia stood back to admire his handiwork. "Now all you need is to get dressed but that's for later. You can put your jeans back on for now."

"Then why did I have to stay in my boxers?" Axel asked.

"Because I wanted you to," Marluxia said with a grin before shooing him out and closing the bathroom door behind him. Axel sighed heavily as he got dressed, not wanting to argue. He glanced at the clock, noting it was still relatively early and wandering out to go find someone else to pester.

Demyx was in the kitchen, as usual. It took Axel a minute to realize it was him though because his hair was smoothed back and all the long pieces were pulled into a neat ponytail instead of his usual unruly mullet; when the sandy blonde saw him though he made a noise like a prepubescent girl before rushing over to run his fingers through his beaten locks.

"Oh my god you have hair like the little mermaid!" Demyx squealed. Axel gave him a look.

"Thanks?" he asked, unsure of how to take the statement. "I've already been called a sea urchin today, why not a mermaid?"

Demyx grinned. "Well whatever, I assume you're here to work? I'm still working on breakfast. We're not going to get serious until about eleven so go ahead and do whatever until then.

"Why was I dragged out of bed so early then?" Axel whined.

"Because MarMar didn't know how long your hair was going to take. He thought it was going to be an all day affair. Go ahead and lay back down if you want, just don't mess it up too much or we may have to shave you. Roxas is already up and in the library, go entertain him or something."

***

Axel knocked on the door before entering and timidly making his way over to Roxas' desk and taking a seat. The blonde was surrounded by paperwork and didn't even look up to acknowledge him, he simply muttered "good morning,' flippantly.

"Morning," Axel said, sitting patiently. He watched Roxas work away at something that looked like an invoice before he reached over and slapped a giant stamp on the document labeled "APPROVED." The blonde looked it over one more time before glancing up at Axel, looking back down at his paper, stopping, and looking at him again.

"Oh my. You look different."

Axel laughed nervously, "yeah, Marluxia attacked me with a blow dryer."

"Hmm…" Roxas looked at him thoughtfully. "I see he hid your tattoos as well, I can assume this what you looked like back before you got them, then?"

"Pretty much, yeah. It's kind of a throwback for me. I had gotten so used to them," he reached up to touch his cheek then.

"Interesting," Roxas rocked back and fourth in his desk chair simply looking at him. The redhead fought the urge to fidget.

"Ah well did you need anything? I've got some time before we start cooking for tonight."

Roxas looked thoughtful for a moment before shaking his head. "I'm fine. Thank you."

***

"I don't know what to do," Marluxia said. They were in the bathroom again and Axel was sitting patiently in his chair waiting for the man to finish with his hair. "I'm having a hard time deciding if you should pull it back straight or let be loose so it covers this stupid thing in your ear." The first guest would be arriving in a little less than an hour.

Axel shrugged, "I don't care either way."

Marluxia sighed, exasperated. He himself had pulled his hair back into a very distinguished looking ponytail and combed something through his goatee so the color stood out more, Axel didn't care to ask what. They settled for the loose pull back, Axel's hair drooping down to cover his ears. Xigbar was nowhere to be seen amongst the men; apparently he was upstairs helping Roxas get ready. Zexion was idly flipping through a book; his hair moved out of his eyes and clipped back when Axel and Marluxia exited the bathroom. He looked bored beyond belief. Demyx was also gone.

Axel felt stiff and uncomfortable in his dress shirt and slacks. He was constantly being reprimanded by Marluxia to not fiddle with the collar and to stand up straight. His only job tonight was to follow Roxas around and make sure he didn't need anything. He could do that. He wasn't much help with serving or doing much else because he couldn't 'tell the different between a soup bowl and a salad bowl, duh' as Demyx had told him. Once everyone was dressed and put together, they wandered out to be useful to anyone who needed them before the guests arrived.

Namine was looking exceptionally grumpy today. She had a simple pearl colored cocktail dress on with cream stilettos and her hair pulled up and pinned around in a puff of curls on top of her head. She glittered with diamonds dripping from her neck and ears. Axel thought she looked pretty and tried to compliment her but she blew him off. Her mother was equally as upset.

Larxene walked around the manor barking orders at everyone that they generally ignored because they had either already done what she had asked or it wasn't necessary to begin with. She wasn't very graceful in her floor length shimmering gold gown and heels though and she walked like a constipated duck which made her look severely less threatening.

Xigbar was dressed like all the other help and looked pretty much the same except his hair had been braided neatly. He stayed upstairs with Roxas for most of the day and no one saw him until he came down to help greet guests.

Shortly before the first person came though, Roxas was helped down and sat on one of the chaise lounges near the door so he didn't need to move in order to greet people. The blonde sat looking bored in his slate colored Versace pinstriped suit. It was tailored to fit him nicely except his slacks were a little looser than they should have been to accommodate his cast; not that anyone could tell though because he never had to stand because he was taking his wheelchair around today. His glasses sat low on his nose as well.

Soon people started to filter in. Axel stood quietly by Roxas' side as various important looking men walked through the door with their wives on their arms. Very few of the men came by themselves and only occasionally would a woman be introduced as an executive. No one really acknowledged Axel though. One of the last couples to show was a man who was only a few inches shorter than Axel and had eyes that glowed aqua like Larxene's. He had relatively unkempt blonde hair and barely smiled. He was introduced as Roxas' half-brother Cloud. He had a brunette woman with an enormous chest on his arm that was introduced as Tifa. Roxas greeted them with a small smile, but the one who was most excited to see them was Larxene.

The last one to show was a man who came by himself. He looked no older than Larxene but held himself substantially better than she did. Axel quirked a brow at his ears which were covered in piercings and he had a smile that lit up the sky. When he greeted Roxas, he leaned down to the blonde and hugged him tightly.

"Axel, this is my father, Luxord," Roxas said. This is the only one he bothered mentioning to the redhead. Luxord smiled wide and shook Axel's hand firmly.

"Nice to meet you, Axel!" he said brightly. The redhead was well aware of where Namine got her gossamer blonde hair from now but it was a mystery to him how they both turned out so short. It took a minute for him to realize as well that this man sounded _English_.

"Ah, hello sir," Axel said meekly. Luxord barked a lighthearted laugh and patted him on the shoulder firmly before heading into the crowd. Namine was next to greet him with a grin and throwing her arms around his neck. He must've been distracted by the mans exuberance because Roxas tugged on his shirt sleeve lightly to wake him up.

***

Dinner went well. Axel stood by Roxas through the entire time waiting for anything he may have needed but ended up not doing anything and just watching. It was easy to tell which of the people worked for the company because they did most of the talking. It was lighthearted and they all shared laughs amongst one another while the other end of the table near Roxas, the family side, stayed relatively silent. The tension was evident but it wasn't until after Roxas had blown out his candles and cake was being served that things started to fall apart.

Larxene was on her eleventy seventh glass of wine and Luxord had a light flush to his cheeks as well. In the middle of dessert Larxene let out a horrendous belch that quieted the entire room. Everyone shifted their gaze down to the end as Larxene started cackling to herself and patting her stomach and slouching in her seat like she was drinking beer with the guys and watching the Super Bowl.

"Was that really necessary, love?" Luxord asked calmly. Roxas set his fork down and rubbed his temples.

"I'm not your love! You never loved me!" Larxene slurred at him in response. "You'd rather cheat on me with those cheap whores than touch me!" She hiccupped a little and started to giggle stupidly. Cloud, who was sitting next to her, put a hand on her shoulder. Namine gaped at her from across the way.

Luxord slammed his fork on the table, "I don't need your shit! You were too busy slamming martinis and hitting on kids a quarter your age to give a damn about anything we ever had!" he shouted. There was a light gasp and a murmur started to creep through the opposite end of the table.

Larxene gnashed her teeth together and picked up her glass of wine and hurled it at the man. It shattered against the table spewing glass and liquid all over him and Namine who squealed. Axel shoved his way into the kitchen to get Xigbar.

Xigbar stormed out and took Larxene by the arms and tried to lead her out gently. She resisted against him and kicked and screamed profanities at Luxord who was being wiped off by Zexion. Demyx was attending to Namine. Xigbar eventually had to hoist the rampant woman up so she couldn't get any traction to run away from him. Her shoes flew off in her flailing and one clattered onto the table into several guests place settings. They all flinched hoping it didn't bounce up and hit them.

Namine was fussing with Demyx about the status of her dress and Luxord had his head in his hands with his back turned to the executives. Cloud was silent and Roxas heaved a heavy sigh. After a short time of regrouping, the shoe was removed and Luxord excused himself. Everyone else watched Roxas for a reaction.

The blond wiped the corners of his mouth one last time before setting his napkin in his lap and smiling as wide as he could at his guests. "Well! That was interesting to say the least, yes?"

"Are you sure you want to continue?" a stout looking man said from the end of table.

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

"I'll be frank. I'm more concerned that you may have inherited some traits from your mother that would make you less reliable," the man said simply. There were some faces in the group that seemed to agree. "I would be worried for my investment. You can't deny that the whole reason you are becoming the sole heir is because of that woman. Her display just now makes me wonder just how much you may have inherited from her. You could just be putting up one hell of a front."

"Ah but you see I wasn't raised by my mother," he said curtly with a smirk. The women in the group turned to gossip with one another as the men regarded him with steel looks. He continued, "If you really think about it though, my mother had to have inherited her behavior from somewhere as well. My grandfather, yes? He ruled over the company for several decades and you and those before you didn't seem to be bothered by it."

The man didn't respond he simply nodded and sat back in his chair with a thoughtful look. Conversation eventually resumed and Namine and Roxas finished their cake in relative peace.

***

One step over from the dining hall was a large hall of similar design which was referred to as the "Meeting Hall." There, the festivities resumed. A desk had been set up for Roxas at the front where some of the executives could meet with him and talk about any concerns they had. Some had brought folders and papers of proposals and some simply asked him personal questions pertaining mostly to his mother. The spouses of the executives milled about towards the back amongst themselves as light music filtered down from the ceiling's speaker system. As he had been the entire night Axel was planted by Roxas' side half-listening to the boring conversations he made with his employees. Several times during the night, people would whip out identical Blackberries and click around on the screens which made Axel smirk.

Once everyone had their fill of the blonde, the night quieted down considerably and the people slowly started to filter out of the manor. Luxord apologized over and over again to Roxas before leaving and Cloud gave him a half-hearted smile in condolences before he left as well. Roxas peeled his suit jacket off and stretched before laying his head in his arms on his desk.

"Are you okay, Roxas?" Axel asked, pulling the rubber band out of his hair.

The blonde heaved a sigh, "Yes. I'm fine. I'm just tired. I also can't wait for tomorrow."

"Why, what's tomorrow?"

"Well for one it won't be today and secondly I booked a cruise for my mother to go on, she'll be out of my hair for a full month if I'm lucky."

"Oh wow. That sounds nice."

"It's my birthday present to myself, really."

"I can see where that would be a good gift," Axel laughed a little.

"Being eighteen doesn't feel all that much different than being seventeen," Roxas said partially muffled by his arm.

"I agree."

"I would just appreciate it if you helped me up to bed," the blonde asked after a long pause.

"Sure."

***

His ear was numb, which was an interesting sensation. One never really thinks about their ears unless something touches them or they have an itch so it's like they're always numb to begin with. But when he couldn't feel his ear anymore Axel was suddenly more aware of it being there, which was weird.

A petite woman with black hair and Asian features had a magnifier lens in front of her face as she pulled Axel's skin away from the camera to wedge a pair of pliers between it and the lobe. He heard a loud click as she cut through the stud and she held the two pieces out to in. He held the stud over his face; the metal back piece looked like a horrible torture device but in miniature and the lens itself was so itty bitty he was amazed that someone could get a picture out of it.

"You know I'm not supposed to ask about the circumstances around my patients predicaments but I'm genuinely curious how you got that thing," she said as she was wiping his ear clean before applying some liquid bandages to the hole.

Axel laughed, "It's too long of a story to tell. Don't worry about it."

Down the hall from him in another room, Roxas was getting his cast removed. Once Axel was finished with his doctor he wandered over just in time to see his doctor pull it off his leg. Xaldin stood off to the side watching, and Xigbar was next to the door flipping through a magazine. Axel leaned in the doorway and observed with a smile.

"Well? Wiggle your toes and test it out," the doctor said. Roxas moved his toes and rolled his ankle a little and bent his knee. He nodded.

"It's still sore."

"Well it's going to be for a while yet. But since you kept it immobile and didn't use it for so long you can walk on it so long as you comfortably can. I wouldn't try to run though for several months."

"Back to water therapy, Rox," Xaldin chimed, Roxas groaned.

"I hate that pool," he muttered.

***

Axel slowly fell into the routine of the house along with everyone else. Things were quiet now, and two weeks passed quickly. Roxas was usually busy with either work or school now so he didn't have much time to amuse Axel and he quickly started to grow antsy and bored.

"You know, we never did go out for our night of debauchery," Axel quipped one day whilst they played out the familiar scene. Axel was sprawled all over the foot of Roxas' bed while the blonde sat amongst his pillows studying. They rarely changed this routine, but sometimes they ended up in Axel's bedroom for a change of scenery/wall color.

"I told you we would when I have time."

"But you _never _have the time."

"I apologize. I can't help it."

"You've got to _make_ time."

"You seem more adamant about this than I am. Are you sure you're really wanting to do this for me and not yourself?"

Axel sighed. "I just hoped you'd be loosen up a little is all. Isn't that why turning eighteen was so important aside from your inheritance?"

"I'm very busy."

"But you're also very young, you know."

"I forget that sometimes, really."

"See!? I told you! You need to live a little."

It was Roxas' turn to sigh then. "Perhaps you should look into school a little more seriously. You can start with this coming spring semester."

"Not until I get you to loosen up a bit. It's becoming my personal mission."

Roxas dropped his pen in his book to rub his eyes. He thought about the redheads words for a minute. He agreed with his friend that he didn't have much time to get everything done even disregarding the personal things. He also had his hands in almost everything with the company which wasn't entirely necessary. Perhaps he should back off some and let the company run itself like it had been since his grandfather's passing. He thought some, scrunching his brows together before nodding. "Fine."

Axel raised an eyebrow, "Fine? Like we should go out and do stuff?"

"Yes."

"You mean that?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Really really?"

"Yes Axel! Really, good lord."

"Good," he grinned.

***

Roxas did something new that Saturday before he and Axel left for their night out. Axel had come to the blonde's room to see if he was ready to go and was surprised to find his room in chaos. He could only see Roxas' feet sticking out of a storage space in the wall as a couple of dusty boxes were shoved out of the way and onto his carpet.

"What're you looking for?" Axel asked. He could barely hear Roxas' response from inside the cave-like space.

"Something incredibly small that I don't remember where I put— Ah!" he said triumphantly. He backed out of the crawl space and patted the dust from his knees. He had retrieved a small box; it looked very old and was covered in a thick layer of dust that clung to the red velvet like moss. Roxas pulled it open with a loud _creak _of its aged hinges and produced a gold ring. "This is what I was looking for. It was my grandfather's. Coincidentally it was also his grandfather's back when they used to seal letters with wax, look," he held it out to the redhead.

It was a heavy for its size, Axel noted as it sat in his palm. Embossed on its broad surface was a very elaborate 'M' with a broadsword slicing through the middle horizontally. He handed the ring back to Roxas who tried it on several fingers before deciding that it would only fit on his thumb. The blonde continued talking without any prompting.

"My family, for as long as they acknowledge anyway, has always been of money. Back in early seventeenth century every man in my family was a sword smith. We became so famous for our quality that they continued to branch out and eventually started a brand name. But by the time guns became common place, several men in my family had purchased bars and inns for themselves and that eventually took over the family business. It's a timeless endeavor, really if you think about it. If you really wanted to though, you could order a decorative sword from us, but we only have two facilities in the world that do that under our name anymore so they're quite expensive."

"It's cool that you know about your heritage. I've actually wondered what my lineage did, if anything. I'm pretty sure they were all boring because we really don't have much to show for it but my mom said it was full of gypsies," Axel quipped with a grin.

"Gypsies are very interesting people," the blonde added as he shoved the boxes back into his wall. They left shortly thereafter, passing by Demyx in the hall who stopped in front of Roxas' door with an exasperated groan as he took in the mess. Xigbar wasn't going with them which made Axel a little nervous considering where they were headed. Parked out front though was something that took the redhead's mind off it completely. It wasn't the latest model but damn, was it _sexy_.

Xigbar leaned against a sleek and glittering silver Jaguar XF 10, as they approached he held out the keys to Roxas. The blonde took them with a smile and Xigbar huffed a little looking a concerned. Roxas plopped himself in the drivers seat and adjusted the rearview before looking up at Xigbar. Axel slid himself in the passenger seat and was afraid to shed any skin cells on the interior.

"Please. _Please_, don't do anything stupid," Xigbar pleaded, watching Roxas for an answer.

"We'll be fine. Take the night off and enjoy yourself, Xigbar," the blonde said in return as he adjusted his seat forward.

"You have my number, if anything happens call me. If you're in any pain call me. If you get in an accident, call m—" Roxas held up a hand to stop him.

"Calm down. We'll be fine."

Xigbar sighed heavily and ran a hand over his face, "yeah yeah okay. Have fun." With that, he shoved the door closed. Roxas turned the ignition and they were off. Once they were off the estate grounds, Roxas relaxed back into his seat with a sigh.

"Xigbar has been with me since I was born. It's only natural that he would be so protective," Roxas said mostly to himself.

"You think he'll feel like an empty nester with your new freedom?"

"Of course he will, you saw him, he was a wreck."

"You should come back with like, and eyebrow piercing and a huge temporary tattoo on your back to freak him out."

Roxas laughed a little "I might consider that."

***

The Larkspur Casino loomed overhead as the pair drove around back to the VIP section of the parking lot. The other part, the tourist part, was absolutely packed to the brim but it was Saturday, and it was almost expected. Roxas handed the valet his keys and got his ticket before they were ushered inside to stand in a lavish lobby where their coats were taken by two very scantly clad women. Roxas looked around with a scrutinizing eye.

"This place has changed," he said simply.

"Oh yeah? I only came here once with my dad. He shoved me into the nursery before I had a chance to look around much. I don't really remember it."

"I don't think they allow children in here anymore. Everything changed once the partnership broke apart."

"Oh, well that's a shame. I would think it would cut down on you customer base if people are more dependant on babysitters in order to go out."

Roxas shrugged, "I agree with you, but it isn't part of my company anymore so I guess I would have to keep my opinions to myself, yes?" Axel nodded.

Most of the VIP section was filled with a bar and card tables versus the bright lights of slot machines and automated betting games. Some of the tables were empty but the ones that had people at them all had the same _kind_ of people. They were all very serious faced and Axel could tell they were all playing with large sums of money on the line. The dealers were bland and you couldn't read their faces and the only entertaining activity seemed to be at the bar, which wouldn't serve alcohol to 'minors.' Occasionally there was a playful jeer coming from the Craps table or the roulette but for the most part it seemed pretty boring.

"Wow, this place is serious," Axel commented.

"Come with me, the more interesting characters are always the tourists," Roxas pulled him by the wrist and Axel followed obediently.

Towards the front of the building and for the better part of two floors above, the space was lined with rows and rows of slot machines and other coin operated games, blackjack tables, the occasional poker table and billiards. Axel felt more relaxed in this area simply because the people were mostly smiling and having a good time. Roxas was scanning the crowd for a good minute before heading in the direction of the blackjack tables. Axel followed.

The dealers around that area were more for entertaining than they were for business and most of them knew fancy tricks that always seemed to garner a laugh and some applause. One in particular though came into view as the pair weaved through the crowd. His table was packed to the brim and he was starting off a new game with some slight of hand tricks and making the women of his group squeal and clap like they were toddlers and glitter was being thrown at them. As they drew closer, Axel could see why Roxas wanted to come to the casino.

They waited patiently for two seats to open up before quickly plopping down and waiting for the dealer to take notice. They each set a stack of chips on the table and once the dealer was finished setting up he gave them a look of surprise.

"Roxas! And… Axel?" Luxord said with a quirked brow. "What happened to your hair, boy?"

"It's always like this," the redhead quipped, watching Luxord's face change to an expression light awe. Why was everyone so fascinated by his hair lately?

"Good lord you must go through a tub of gel a day to make it do that."

"No, it does this by itself." Luxord gave him a look like he didn't believe him before turning to Roxas.

"Your mother loosened your leash did she?"

"She's floating around somewhere in the Caribbean at this point, what she doesn't know won't hurt her."

"That's a good place for her," the man said with a wide smile, he was shuffling a deck in his hands. The people around the boys were very nice; an older couple from Santa Monica kept asking about Axel's tattoos for the entirety of three games and Roxas had a pair of younger girls from the next town over cooing over his eyes. Roxas, in Axel's opinion got the better deal but it was still a fun time. Luxord was trying his best to steal some of the attention his son was getting by picking cards from behind the girls' ears and doing elaborate shuffling tricks.

Somewhere in the middle of their fifth game, a pair of arms wrapped around Roxas' neck as a body was draped over him with a head of chestnut hair. The blonde grunted in surprise before realizing who it was but he didn't seem to mind the sudden attention.

"Hello Sora," he greeted simply.

"Hi Roxaaaas," Sora said, nuzzling his face in the blonde's hair. "What brings you out to my neck of the woods?"

"Well, I'm trying to play blackjack."

"That's always healthy. Why aren't you in the VIP section? It seems more like your bag."

"The people are more interesting on this side," the girls next to him started giggling and talking amongst themselves. Axel watched the pair with a careful eye. Sora hadn't noticed him yet.

"I think so too. Did you bring Namine?"

"No."

"Oh, well alright then," Sora looked up then and noticed Axel, his eyes widened and he stood straight, letting Roxas stretch backwards getting his back into shape again. "Hi… Axel. I didn't see you there."

Axel gave a light wave, trying to be civil and as non-threatening as he could even if all he wanted to shoo the kid away. He was going to stomach him, for Roxas' sake.

"So you two _do_ know each other, then?" Roxas asked.

"I told you we met in my e-mail, Roxas."

"But I never heard anything from Axel about it."

_Oh crap_, Axel thought. "Yeah, I didn't think it mattered to you, really. So I didn't mention it," Luxord dealt him another hand, keeping an eye on the scene.

"Fair enough," he knocked on the table and Luxord slid him another card. Roxas looked at the card before flipping his hand over and tossing it aside, a bust. He turned to Sora. "Are your father and sister here?"

"Of course they are," he smiled.

"Perhaps I should say hello."

"I can go find them if you want."

"If they have the time."

"Okay, I'll be back."

They played a few more hands and made small talk with Roxas' father. The older couple eventually left and the girls were forced to leave once they ran out of chips, Axel could tell they didn't want to though because they looked ready to cry as they walked away. They were replaced by other tourists that were also friendly enough. Roxas and his father talked most of the time, catching up on little things which didn't really interest Axel but was glad that it was happening. He was beginning to think that the entire point of the trip was to see Luxord, but he didn't mind. Sora eventually returned and the pair stood to greet Selphie and a man who was extremely young looking with a scar across the bridge of his nose. Leon, as it turns out wasn't Sora and Selphie's father but their older brother. He was nice enough but quiet. He reminded Axel of Cloud but not quite as grumpy looking.

"Hello Leon," Roxas said, the two shook hands.

"Yeah, apparently dad left like an hour ago," Sora said. "Let's go sit somewhere." Roxas bid his father farewell before the small group was led into the back of the casino to a lounge. It was empty except for the group and shortly after they all sat down another woman with scant clothing came in and set down a tray of finger foods, she left and came back with drinks. Roxas and Sora sat together and chatted, the brunette doing most of the work. Every now and again they would do something that showed the age of their friendship, and made Axel a little envious. They were small gestures in of themselves but they obviously had been developed and had profound meaning for them. A flick of the other's hair, a touch on the wrist, a poke and a prod here and there made it all the more obvious to Axel that he wasn't the only friend Roxas had, but at the same time Roxas was the only one he had. He looked to Selphie for some light conversation though he rather there was someone else. She grinned at him, nibbling on a tiny sandwich.

"So, how do you like our place?" she asked.

"I remember it being a little different when I was little."

"Oh you came here when kids were allowed? Neat."

"Once. Only once," he added. She nodded in comprehension before picking up her soda and taking a drink.

Leon jolted a little in surprise before digging in his pocket and flipping open his cell phone and saying a few brief words before closing it again. "Xemnas is in the building," he said simply.

"Okay, I'll go ask the lady to get his drink," Selphie said before skipping off to go find their waitress. Roxas looked a little concerned and flashed Axel a glance. Sora was smiling but looking back and fourth nervously between the blonde and the redhead.

"I hope he doesn't care that you're here…" the brunette said quietly.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer**: It's rated 'M' for a reason, folks.

Chapter 11

The person who stepped through the door was not the person Axel wanted to see. It had been a while but he recognized Riku immediately and his blood started to boil the instant the other walked in. Roxas had moved to sit next to the redhead on the couch and put a hand on his in order to keep him from lunging out his seat. Albeit a brief sensation, he was thankful for the touch. He tried to settle back in the couch and crossed his arms over his chest, watching carefully.

"Oh, hey Riku," Sora chimed when he walked in. "We were expecting your dad."

"Yeah, he's on his way—Oo! Strudel!" Riku said before taking a pastry off the tray and shoving the entire thing in his mouth. He sat next to Sora and leaned into the brunette, draping his arm across the back of the seat. Sora's cheeks colored a little and Leon kept an eye on them, tapping his fingers on the armrest. Selphie eventually came back with a martini glass and set it on the small table next to an empty armchair. She sat on the other side of Riku, who in response draped his other arm across the seat. She giggled a little, which made Axel tense up more.

"How have you been?" Roxas asked the boy. Riku raised an eyebrow before answering.

"Oh same old same old I guess. I see your leg is better. That's good."

"Yes, it's useable anyway. I see your trachea is in tact."

"It is. It's useable anyway," Riku retorted with a curt smile. Shortly after their spat, Xemnas strode in and didn't even look around before taking a seat. He regarded Axel with a stone cold stare and smiled at Roxas as warmly as his demeanor would let him. It was very obvious to Axel that the man held himself on a high pedestal that he felt no one else could reach him, his amber eyes were nothing like Riku's blue ones and aside from their shared olive skin tone and silver hair, they didn't look too much alike.

"I don't believe we have met," the man said in an even tone.

"Axel," the redhead said simply.

"Ah yes. I remember hearing about you. I'm glad we could finally meet face to face. How have you been, Roxas? I haven't heard from you or yours in a while now."

"Oh everything is fine. Mother is away on a cruise, and Namine is flitting around the home as she usually does. Nothing exciting, really."

"Ah, well. You'll have that. Happy belated birthday, if I'm not mistaken."

"Thank you."

"How are Demyx, Marluxia, and Zexion? Not over working them I hope?"

Axel was confused. What did they have to do with anything? Roxas gave Xemnas a light smile. "They are happy."

"I'm glad I sent them to you then."

"It's been a thrill, to say the least."

Riku stretched lazily in his seat his shirt riding up his torso a bit; when Axel glanced over he could see the workings of a large tattoo on the boy's hip, peeking out from the top of his pants. "God you old people are boring," he said with a yawn. Xemnas smiled.

"If you're so bored you can leave. Take everyone with you for all I care, but leave Roxas here. We need to catch up."

"Sure thing," Riku said, standing. Sora, Selphie and Leon stood as well and the four of them left without another word. Axel stayed put; he didn't want to go with Riku. Xemnas looked at him.

"I'm afraid I must insist."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Axel…" Roxas said. The redhead looked at him and got a blank but serious face. Axel sighed and begrudgingly stood, leaving the two to talk. When he exited, Leon was no where to be seen but the three remainders were hanging around the bar. Riku, had a glass of something in his hand and Sora was practically drooling on him. Selphie stood off to the side with her own googly eyes trained on the boy. Axel sighed and sat on the stool farthest from them, which also made it closest to the door to the lounge. He tried his best to ignore the group, he really did, but they eventually came over to him which was not the most ideal situation.

"Get away from me," Axel interjected at Riku.

"Whoa, Mr. Hostile I didn't even say anything."

"Good. Leave."

"It's practically my house, dude. You're the one who should be leaving," Riku said as he set his glass on the bar and waved a hand at Sora and his sister, both of whom pouted a little before turning to leave. Riku sat in the stool next to Axel and leaned in. "But since you're Roxas' friend, I'll let you stay. Can't we let bygones be bygones and call a truce on this war we're apparently having?"

"What makes you think I would even consider that?"

"Because I'm a nice guy. We just got off on the wrong foot."

"Oh yes, rape is a _wonderful _precursor to a fruitful relationship, I agree."

"Ooo touchy. Look, I'm sorry, okay? It wasn't the best decision on my part." Riku leaned in close to the redhead and gave him his best apologetic face. Axel looked him over carefully. He tried his best to weed through the rage in his mind to look at this in a more practical light. What did he have to lose exactly? Not a whole lot, Roxas seemed okay enough to act civil with him so why couldn't he? He sighed.

"Fine," he spat.

"Fantastic!" Riku grinned happily. "To commemorate this momentous reunion I say we get shitfaced!" he exclaimed, raising his glass. Axel shook his head.

"No, thanks."

"Well you're boring. We could go in the back and see if I have anything in my stash for us to smoke if that's more your deal."

Axel gave it more consideration than he should have before shaking his head again, "no, I'm fine."

"Aww, I thought I had you," he grinned. They sat together for a silent minute before Riku took a swig of his drink and clanked it on the bar again. "So let's see… I know you have tattoos on your face, how about any other ones?"

_Is he trying to get to know me? _Axel thought. "Four more," he said simply.

"Awesome, can I see?"

"I would need to take my pants off, so no," which wasn't entirely true but he wasn't about to take his shirt off either.

"Well that's an interesting visual," Riku said with a thoughtful face.

"What about you?"

"Oh well I have one, but it's the same situation as you I'm afraid. Unless you're _really_ freaky and want to go to my office for some show and tell."

"_You_ have an office?"

"Ch'yeah! I own this place, my friend."

"I thought it belonged to Sora's family."

"Not any more it doesn't. We're going to keep part of the name for familiarity sake but we bought out their entire chain almost eight years ago. I dunno who my dad decided to wait until now to move forward, but whatever."

"Whoa."

"Whoa indeed."

Axel thought about the whole situation for a minute. Sora was under the impression it was a partnership, not a corporate buyout. Weird, maybe the kid was misinformed? It really didn't concern him so he didn't think much past that. Instead, he changed the topic, "I know you… know Roxas, but I heard you're sweet on Namine?"

"Aah yeah. She and I go to school together. She's totally gaga for me, it almost creeps me out in some ways, and she's _real_ money hungry. My dad likes her way more than I do, he keeps telling me to propose to her."

"Will you?"

"Eh, I considered it simply for the purpose of reproducing and keeping the family going, you know. But I don't think I would ever do it if that wasn't a reason. She's cute and can be a laugh but I'm not sure I can spend my life with someone like her. Plus her mom is psychotic, have you seen that bitch? She isn't exactly my ideal mother-in-law."

"I can see where that would be a hindrance, yeah."

"Though I could marry her until she squeezes out a son for me and then leave her, but I'd like to break that chain in my family, honestly."

"With that I can assume your dad did the same with your mom?"

"Yeah, basically. He actually has like twelve children by five women or something, I'm his only son."

"Holy shit, that's a lot of babies."

"Yeah it is. His taxes are crazy." Axel had to laugh at that last remark which made Riku smile. The boy finished his drink and ordered another. "Are you _sure_ you don't want anything?"

"No really, I'm fine."

Riku spun around in his seat and reclined back against the bar. "Suit yourself," Riku looked at his watch before sighing. "My dad can be so long winded sometimes. I bet he's in there yammering Roxas' ear off about something to do with money."

"They've been in there for over an hour."

"I think I'll just go barge in. Wait here, if they're talking important business things you probably shouldn't hear." Axel waved a hand dismissively. Riku disappeared back into the lounge and was gone for all of three minutes before he rushed out again and yelled to Axel. "Get in here! I need your help!"

Axel immediately jumped up as his blood ran cold. Did something happen to Roxas? He ran into the lounge to find it devoid of life save for Riku and himself. Roxas' clothes were scattered about and there was no sign of Xemnas. He and Riku looked around with concern on their faces. The door started to creak slowly behind him and Axel barely had time to turn around when a pair of strong arms seized him and held him still.

"What the fuck!?" he growled as he struggled against the arms. Riku made no move to help him; instead he was digging around in a small cabinet, retrieving a bottle and a rag. He wet the rag with the bottle's contents and walked towards Axel with a twisted smile.

"Tell me my friend; does this smell like chloroform to you?"

***

The world was black. All Axel knew was that he couldn't see, his heart was racing at an unhealthy level, and he couldn't move his hands from behind his back. When he tried to move there was a metallic grinding against the floor he was laying on. The floor itself was cold, damp, and uneven and he was suddenly aware that he didn't have a shirt on when he tried to move and his shoulder landed in something wet. He did a mental check of himself where he found he was still wearing pants but his shoes and socks were gone. Everything was silent around him but if he listened hard enough he could hear a light murmur of conversation coming from above him.

He tried to speak but his throat was on fire and he choked on his words, sending him into a frenzy of coughing. There was movement somewhere relatively nearby and Axel froze. He tried his voice again but to avail, he only managed a grunt. There was a vocal crack as someone else tried to talk but started coughing just like he had. He lay still, trying to breathe slowly and evenly even though he felt like panting. He was sweating some and he could feel his cheeks flush the more he tried to control himself. He eventually was able to scoot back enough to where he hit a wall and was able to shimmy himself to sit upright. He got his feet under himself and tried to stand but a pain shot through his thigh and he staggered and fell back with a loud grunt, it echoed.

There was movement again from somewhere near. More coughing came up before a weak voice managed to croak "…'s there?" It was Roxas. Axel tried his best to respond but could only cough more and let out a frustrated groan. The echo was making it hard to tell where the movement was coming from but Axel tried his best to listen to Roxas' resisting to get a better feel of where he was. His hands found that he was indeed chained to the wall and with shackles around his wrists no less. Roxas kept making noise from wherever he was and Axel heard a definitive '_chink_' as Roxas' own bindings had reached their limit from the wall.

Another vocal crack and some coughing later, Roxas managed to get a raspy sentence out. "If that's you, Axel, give me a sign." Axel's brain tried to think of something other than a rattle of chain or something else generic. He licked his lips a few times and it took him a few tries before he started whistling the legato tune Roxas used to call Joseph to him. After he was finished Roxas was heard struggling against his restraints and coughing as he tried to speak.

They sat in silence for a length of time before the flames in his focal chords started to snuff out. He was finally able to croak out some words to the blonde albeit a little breathlessly. "Roxas? Where are you?"

"I'm not sure, I can't see. Try to move towards my voice." Axel tried his best to move along the wall but eventually ran into a corner. He shimmied down and went as far as he could with the length of his chains. He could hear Roxas doing the same and eventually they bumped shoulders. They both let out a heavy sigh.

"Do you know what's on your eyes?" Axel asked.

"No idea. Here, tell me what you feel," Roxas leaned over and rubbed his eyes against his shoulder. Axel had to think through his racing heartbeat to figure it out.

"Duct tape."

"Oh _fantastic_."

"Lay down and I'll try to pull it off," he shifted away from the wall and Roxas lowed himself to the side so Axel could shimmy back and touch his face. It took a minute and some creative maneuvering but Axel was able to get a fingernail under the edge of the tape and pull a little. Roxas hauled himself upright and Axel held the tape and it came off in one swift movement. Roxas hissed.

"I hope I have eyebrows left, my skin burns. Your turn." They repeated the process and Axel sat up with pained moan.

"Okay, _ow_. Why would people ever think it's a good idea to wax their eyebrows is beyond me."

"I'm sure there's more of a process to it than duct tape, Axel."

"I hope so." The tape wasn't the only things keeping them in the dark. The lights were off. Axel moved around, bumping into Roxas several times and who was starting to sound agitated at him. Eventually he was able to grab hold of the blonde's hands and give them a reassuring squeeze before feeling up his shackles. They were held closed with a padlock and were one solid piece of steel, not quite as easy as duct tape to get around. The redhead groaned. "Okay weird question, but could you feel my thigh? It hurts like a bitch."

"Sure," they situated themselves again and Roxas smoothed his hands across Axel's thigh slowly, feeling all the details. The redhead shivered under his touch and he could feel himself getting a little aroused. His heart rate never slowed since he woke up but he did feel his skin become more attentive to Roxas' touch, something wasn't right. He felt a light pinch as Roxas pulled away from him. "It's a syringe," the blonde said quietly. There was a light clatter as he tossed it away.

"Great. Chemicals," maybe that was his problem, "I have to say though it makes sense. My heart's been racing since I woke up."

"Oh yeah? I'm sorry to hear it. Aside from the obvious I don't think much else is wrong with me."

"The obvious?"

"The shackles, duct tape and bum leg. The usual."

"You sound extremely calm to me, almost casual about this."

"I'm just having a hard time not being cynical about this. The _one_ time I want to go out on my own accord and _this_ is what happens. Fan-fucking-tastic."

"Good point," Axel sighed and sat back against the wall. His heart was racing a mile a minute and his thigh was still tingling. He was having a hard time ignoring the warmth in his groin as well.

"Did you change pants at some point?" Roxas asked abruptly.

"I don't recall doing so, no."

"I don't remember you wearing suede."

"I wasn't. I was wearing jeans."

"Odd."

"I _saw_ your pants; they were back in the lounge so you can't be wearing the same ones either."

"Someone stole my shoes as well."

"Me too." Even after sitting in the dark for quite some time, Axel's night vision wasn't kicking in. It meant to him that there wasn't and opening for light to get in around them, which also meant there probably wasn't any ventilation to speak of as well. He wondered if they would run out of oxygen at some point.

"Your shoulder is sticky, by the way."

"Yeah I moved and landed in a puddle of something."

"Wonderful."

"Yep," Axel felt a brush of hair against said sticky shoulder as Roxas leaned against him a sighed. Axel laid his head on top of his swirly spikes and closed his eyes. Not that he needed to in order to make the room dark, it was just more comfortable. Suddenly there was a loud click and both he and Roxas were yanked away from each other and they both slid to their respective places across their dungeon-like room, being pulled by their hands. They both clanked into the anchor for their chains as all the slack was retracted into the wall. Axel was dragged through a puddle on his way and his entire left side was coated in whatever it was. He was finally able to stand at this point, being already half-hoisted up by his restraints. A low wattage bulb buzzed to life in the middle of the room.

The room itself was made mostly of concrete except for the ceiling, it was made of mirrors. Roxas had been right in guessing that they were both stripped of their own clothes and were dressed in identical pairs of suede pants. Axel looked to see what he had been covered in and was horrified to see that his entire right side was slick with blood the source of which was chained to the wall a few feet away from him. Roxas was staring in horror just as he was as Selphie's lifeless body hung taught against the chains that held her in place. She was completely naked and had a large burn on her forehead in the shape of a tree. There was a large slice in her throat that led to her entire front being coated in her blood. Once he started to comprehend what was seeing Axel started to scream and struggle against his restraints.

"Axel! Stop! You'll hurt yourself!" Roxas called from across the way. In the middle of his struggling there was another loud click and he was suddenly able to run away from the body. He ran until the slack ran out again and it caught him off guard causing him to fall to the concrete beneath him. Roxas ran over and knelt by him. Axel was panting and his vision was getting blurry. Roxas pleaded with him. "You need to calm down, otherwise you'll pass out. Axel please," the blonde sat and lay himself next to the redhead so he could see his face, "calm down. I don't want to be here by myself."

Axel and Roxas didn't have time to think before they were pulled away again in the same manner as before, this time Axel went through the puddle on his left side and smacked into the wall. He was starting to get disoriented as his breathing stayed labored. He tried his best to ignore Selphie and focus on Roxas but the blonde was starting to fade from his vision and blend in with the concrete. Another loud click and he was let to stagger forward again and fall to the floor. He rolled onto his back and looked up but realized all he could focus on was Selphie and the giant crimson puddle below her, so he closed his eyes. He had fallen too far from Roxas and the blonde couldn't reach him.

"Don't close your eyes. It'll be too easy to black out," Roxas pleaded.

"I'll… be fine," the redhead panted in response. His breath had slowed some, not back to normal, but at least he managed to get it back to what it was before he saw Selphie. He didn't want to think anymore. He almost welcomed passing out, if it wasn't for Roxas talking to him, he would've gladly accepted that alternative versus having to be awake wherever he was. After a while of lying still he opened his eyes and saw himself in the mirrored ceiling. Both of his sides were coated unevenly in a glossy red but very little of it had gotten on his face. The suede pants showed every curve and detail of his lower half, which he wasn't thrilled about but at least he wasn't naked.

Axel maneuvered his shoulders around so he could roll onto his stomach and use his chin to push himself up. He carefully stood on watery legs and walked over to Roxas. The blonde waited for him patiently and Axel stood in front of him with a hurt smile. "Hi."

"Feel better?" the redhead knew he was talking about lying on the floor for so long.

"Yes."

"Liar."

"I know."

"Your pupils are huge."

Axel tried his best at a clumsy shrug. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I feel like I could have a heart attack any minute now."

"You could, really. You need to try your best to calm down. I wish we could just sit in a frantic heap but I don't think we have that luxury right now. We can go to therapy later." Axel nodded and tried his best to breathe through his heartbeat. Roxas leaned forward and laid an ear on Axel's chest, ignoring the red stains on his skin. He backed away and nodded. "You need to sit and take it easy."

Roxas left him to wander around the radius his chains would let him, looking for any nooks and crannies that would give them some idea as to what they could do to get out or contact someone. Axel simply flopped down where he stood. His skin was tingling where Roxas had touched him and it was hard to ignore the feeling. While he was focused on that his pants were becoming excruciatingly tight as he tried to fight off an obnoxious erection and shifted around impatiently trying get comfortable in the unforgiving fabric. He sighed, giving up.

"Oh _wow_ Axel," Roxas said. The blonde was looking him over carefully.

"_I know_! I'm having a problem. I'm sorry," he could feel his cheeks reddening. He wished the light would go off again.

"I know how you feel, don't worry about it," Axel's mind flashed back to the night Namine messed with Roxas' pills and he nodded in understanding.

On the furthest wall, the one neither of them could reach, a panel in the concrete sunk back before being pulled open and Sora was shoved inside by a hand that disappeared back into the darkness. The door closed again and became one with the wall. Roxas watched him carefully. Sora was fine. He looked the same as he did when he left Riku and Axel at the bar, except he was wearing different clothes. He didn't even seem to notice his sister chained to the wall, having long since been killed and drained. It wasn't a normal reaction and immediately red flags flew up in Axel's bleary mind.

The brunette didn't say anything to either of them; instead he dug in his pocket and pulled out a small key. He quietly walked over to Roxas and unlocked the padlock from the blonde's restraints. The shackles fell to the floor with a loud metallic clank and Roxas, rubbed his wrists, regarding Sora with a wary eye. Sora made no move to help Axel.

"Come with me, Roxas," Sora said quietly, a solemn look on his face.

"Not without Axel," Roxas said back. The blonde made his way to the redhead and sat next to him on the concrete.

"Just come willingly please," the brunette pleaded.

"Not without Axel." Sora sighed and walked over to Roxas in attempts to grab his arm and pull him away. Roxas shrugged him off easily and leaned back against the redhead. Roxas glared at him, "aren't you a bit concerned that your sister is dead?"

"I already knew about that. I did it," the pair's eyes widened in disbelief as they looked up at the brunette who wore a blank expression that said everything and nothing. Once again Sora tried to pull Roxas away and the blonde immediately swatted his hand away and moved back to sit on Axel's lap, effectively crushing an important part of his anatomy.

"You're a monster," Roxas said, glaring up at his murderous friend through stray hairs.

"I know. I've come to terms with that."

"Come to terms w—she was alive only a few hours ago! How can you make peace so quickly?!" Roxas shouted angrily.

"Hours ago? You guys have been down here for almost an entire day." Both of them were shocked to hear this. Axel didn't know Roxas' particular situation on how he got here, but he certainly didn't feel like he had been sleeping on concrete for a whole day. He wasn't hungry either. Roxas looked to be thinking about it as hard as he was. "What did you guys think? You fell asleep and woke up here an hour later? We're not even in the city anymore."

"Xigbar will find us," Roxas said with a light sneer that made Sora giggle at him.

"You think so?"

"I know he will." Sora smiled and made a move for Roxas again prompting Axel to pull his legs up defensively and mashing Roxas to his torso. Sora gave him a look like he had just committed a mortal sin before backing off and digging in one of the pockets of his cargo pants. He retrieved a black device and a pair of handcuffs. From the electrical clicking Axel could tell that the device was a taser.

"So are you going to go willingly? Because this is getting old, Roxas."

Axel shifted around balancing Roxas' weight as best he could. "Don't worry about me, Roxas. Just go with him. You really don't want to be tased. It isn't fun." Roxas thought it over some, staring at the ground before looking at Axel.

"I'll come back for you," he said quietly.

"I know you will."

***

Axel had been left to his own devices for what had to be an eternity. He lay on his stomach facing Roxas' discarded chains and trying not to let his mind wander. Once he was by himself, he was able to think about all the tiny details of the room he was too frantic to think about earlier. The smell being the biggest one coming from Selphie, and the blood that had dried on his skin let out a coppery scent that made him think of pennies. At one point he did start to dry heave from the combined sensations but he couldn't outright vomit, which he was happy about, he didn't need another puddle to roll through.

His shoulders hurt as did his wrists. His heart had eventually calmed some and he could breathe a little easier. His skin hadn't stopped tingling though; he just chalked that up to either the remnants of whatever they injected him with and him just being a giant pervert. He purposely didn't think about Selphie, or the fact that the way she was killed was all too familiar. He didn't want to deal with it anymore. He just wanted to take Roxas and go home. He lay on the floor for so long that he eventually started to doze a little. Just as he was about to drift off to sleep there was a light click, different than the one that meant he was going to go careening into the wall again. The light had gone off.

There was a thumping. The kind of thumping that sounded like a bunch of unruly teenagers throwing a party down the street but much more sporadic. Axel looked around the room but couldn't see any change though because of the lack of light. The thumping became move fevered before a resounding thud happened. Axel realized it was coming from above him.

Axel franticly got to his feet and looked up in awe as he saw Roxas' face and hands pushed up against the glass of the one-way mirrored ceiling, worry spread across his expression. Axel smiled up at him like '_I'm still here, I'm okay_.' He watched as something surprised Roxas and he turned. Slowly, Riku's bare feet padded across the glass and stopped next to the blonde, who was frozen and couldn't take his eyes off him. They shared some dialogue between each other before Riku started to laugh. Roxas was on his feet in an instant but quickly knocked back to his knees once Riku grabbed onto his throat. Axel grit his teeth, frustrated he couldn't do anything. He could hear his blood pulsing through his ears.

Riku leaned in close to whisper in Roxas' ear causing the blonde to resist him. Axel started to pace as he watched. Riku moved a hand to the back of Roxas' head and took a handful of hair and pushed him down into the glass, smashing his face against it. Roxas' breath came out in labored pants that fogged the glass near his mouth. Riku shouted a few sentences at the blonde before letting him go and moving off the glass. Roxas only had a moment to lay still and gain his bearings before Riku returned with a syringe. Roxas tried to push him away but Riku tackled him and kept him pressed to the glass. The older boy weaved through Roxas' fighting arms and found a spot before sticking him and injecting. He tossed the plastic tube away and Roxas slowly started to fade until he lay completely still.

At this point, Axel was worried that Riku had just killed him. Either that notion was untrue or it wasn't a deal breaker for Riku because he shifted around and pulled the blonde's pants off. Axel's eyes widened with the understanding with what was going to unfold before him and let out a frustrated scream hoping that Roxas would hear it and wake up. He fought against his restraints with as much force as he could manage, causing the shackles to cut into his wrists. After fighting against himself for several minutes Axel took a tentative look up. He froze.

Riku had flipped Roxas over onto his stomach and was already pumping into him with fervor. Riku had laid himself against the blonde's back and was talking into his ear, causing Roxas' eyes to open wide. The blonde made a move similar to twitching in all of his extremities before he let himself lay still again and panting against the glass. Riku laughed and put his hands on Roxas' lower abdomen and pulled upwards, causing the blonde's torso to slide lazily across the surface so his hips met with Riku's. To Axel, it was like watching a train wreck. It was horrible to see it happen, but he couldn't look away as Riku pounded into Roxas with such force it caused the blonde's entire body to move across the glass inch by inch. Roxas' face was contorted into what Axel could only assume were pants and helpless screams as tears streamed out of his eyes and left streaks on the glass.

Eventually, Riku's rage must've been sated because he pulled away from Roxas and stood, zipping his pants. He said something to the blonde before settling a foot against his hip and shoving him causing a thud as Roxas' body flopped to the side; Riku spat on him before turning to leave. Roxas lay there, panting and clenching his teeth as silent tears slid down his cheeks.

Axel was exhausted from struggling and he let himself slide down the wall so he could sit. Every cell of his being wanted Riku dead. His blood was pumping through his veins so hard that he was starting to get a headache from not being able to release his rage on anything. He also thought of killing Sora for taking Roxas away from him. There was a thumping from above him again as shoes clacked across the glass. Leon dropped to his knees in front of Roxas' still body and nudged him around, talking frantically with a worried face. Someone must have come in because Leon's attention was diverted away from Roxas just enough for a flash to happen and pieces of his skull to fly away as he fell backwards onto the glass and a steady pool of blood started to surround him. Roxas was pulled backwards off the glass and out of sight.

***

Another length of time passed and this time Axel was starting to go insane. It was still dark in his little dungeon but he knew she was there so he started to have nonsensical conversations with Selphie. His wrath subsided after sitting for a while and he had an overwhelming feeling of helplessness.

"I don't know what to do. I'm not strong enough for this shit, you know? Roxas is up there somewhere fighting against whatever Riku is putting him through and all I can do is sit and watch. I feel so worthless," Axel said. When Selphie didn't say anything back he continued. "I wonder how long it'll be before Roxas gives in and just lets them kill him. I hope… well I don't really know what I hope. This all too much"

"_Do you love him?_" Selphie asked. Axel considered that for a minute before responding.

"I'm not sure how to respond to that one. I want to protect him. I want to so bad it makes my chest hurt. Is that the same thing? Feeling so overwhelmed when something bad happens to that person that you think your heart's going to burst?"

"_It might be. I wouldn't know. The only people I really ever loved were my family members and I don't think the same rules apply._"

"I don't think so either. I had the same feelings of wanting to protect my mom too, so maybe it isn't the same thing. Let's see… well I get nervous around Roxas a lot."

"_I think you just have an anxiety disorder._"

"That's what Vexen tells me, yeah. Okay so… hmm. I feel bad that he gets the raw end of the deal most of the time."

"_Well you got a pretty raw deal yourself; love and pity are not the same._"

"True. I've come to think of his home as my home, though. That has to be something."

"_Xigbar probably feels the same way and _he_ loves Roxas."_

"Yeah but that goes back to that whole family thing. Well… I'm running out of things to explain it."

"_There has to be something._"

"I didn't mind ah… helping him? Pleasing him? When Namine screwed with his pills," Axel laughed a little, "It sounds like such a whorish thing to say when you don't have the words to describe the situation."

"_Lust. Love. Are they the same?_"

"Can't have one without the other, I think."

"_I agree, but did you really have feelings for him at that instant? Or were you just being a giant perv?_"

"Good point. I'm not really sure."

"_What about after?_"

"After? What do you mean?"

"_Can't have one without the other, right? Did you think about it afterwards?_"

"Some. But I don't think the feeling is mutual."

"_Unrequited love, a thing of classic literature, wouldn't you say?_"

"Yeah it is. Corny too."

"_I think so too._"

Axel sighed and settled against the wall. He was starting to think that they had forgotten about him. Once the pain and the upset subsided he simply sat feeling numb. "Why are you dead like my mom and dad are dead?" his sense of grammar was starting to fail him.

"_Beats me._"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Axel woke up to a shoe in his gut. Sora loomed over him, massaging his abdomen with his foot, rocking him awake. The redhead grunted at the boy which made Sora smile and nudge him harder. Axel's wrists were still in his shackles and he could barely feel his hands anymore. Once he was able to think through his grogginess he spoke.

"What?"

"Come with me," Sora said, smiling with a key dangling from his finger. In his other hand he had a pair of handcuffs.

"I suppose you're going to tase me if I don't?"

"That or stomp on your nads. Your choice, but I should warn you that I have huge feet."

"Fine," Axel moved to sit up. It took a lot of energy that he didn't have, and in the end Sora needed to help him. The brunette moved behind him and clicked the handcuffs on him above the shackles before unlocking them and letting them clank to the floor. Axel immediately tried to use his wrists which sent bolts of pain through his arms and made him hiss through his teeth.

Sora helped him up and they exited Axel's concrete box in silence. They wandered through a series of stone hallways and eventually came to a metal door with a keypad next to it. Sora punched a series of numbers into the pad before the door clicked open and they were presented with a staircase. Once they reached the top, Axel was assaulted with daylight. He stopped at the top of the staircase to get his bearings and let his eyes adjust. Sora grew impatient quickly and started to nudge him along.

The part of the building they were in had many windows but not much else. For the most part, it was made of concrete. Sora led him down another series of hallways, passing door after door after door. They stopped by one and Sora opened it, shoved Axel inside and closed it again before he could react. A key was shoved under the door afterward.

The room was huge and void of windows. Half of the flooring was a soft carpet while the other half was mirrored glass. On the side with the carpet was a large bed but not much else. The most important part of this room though was sitting on the bed wearing an oversized cotton t-shirt and a look of disbelief.

"Axel!" Roxas yelped as he clumsily threw himself off the bed and ran to him with a limp. Roxas wrapped his arms around Axel's torso and laughed breathlessly into his chest. "I thought Riku had killed you."

Axel was happy to see the blonde but he couldn't help but be reminded of his session with Riku on the ceiling of his concrete box. Before he could say anything to the other boy Roxas left him and retrieved the key from the door and freed his hands. For the first time, Axel was able to assess the damage. His arms were bruised, cut up and smeared with dried blood, he saw it, but he didn't register it. He was numb both mentally and physically.

"I…" Axel started, but then stopped. Roxas watched him with worried eyes, waiting patiently for Axel to gather himself together. "I don't understand what's happening here, Roxas."

"I'm not a hundred percent yet either, honestly. But let's get you cleaned up first." Roxas took his hands gingerly before leading Axel across the room to a door he hadn't noticed. Behind the door was a toilet and a shower with a bar of soap, nothing else and without separation between the two. "I'll be right out here if you need me," Roxas said before closing the door behind him.

Axel stood in the tiny room for a long while, trying to comprehend what was happening. He was locked away by himself with nothing to keep him preoccupied but his own broken psyche long enough that everything else seemed surreal. He must have been standing around too long because Roxas knocked on the door to check and make sure he was alright.

"I'm having a hard time remembering how to function," Axel admitted.

Roxas looked thoughtful for a minute. "I can understand that. You were locked away far longer than I had been. Plus you were by yourself, which made it harder, I'm sure."

"But I wasn't raped," Axel blurted. His bleary mind didn't allow for his mental filter to work. Roxas took a step back and looked away.

"True, but at least I had human interaction to some degree. Sora was with me a lot. Leon as well."

"Oh…"

"Well, I'll let you ge—"

"Don't leave me," Axel interrupted. Roxas looked at him with sad eyes which surprised him. He had never seen the look of sadness in Roxas' face. It broke his heart. Before he could think about it he reached out and pulled Roxas to him, smashing the blonde into his chest to smother the look away. Roxas clung to him wordlessly.

After standing together for a long minute, Axel reached across the tiny space and turned the shower on. He spun them around so he could back into the water; completely ignoring the fact that he still had pants on. He gave Roxas the opportunity to pull away but when the blonde didn't he kept backing up until he hit the wall and slid down to sit under the spray with him. Roxas sat in between Axel's legs and up against his chest letting his giant t-shirt get soaked. Axel kept his arms wrapped around the other boy, feeling the water peel away the dried on filth from his skin.

Eventually Roxas reached around the redhead and worked the bar of soap between his hands before starting to rub at his sides, washing away what was left of Selphie's blood. Even underneath the pattering of the water Axel could feel his skin react to Roxas' touch. The tingling sensation mingled with the synapses in Axel's clouded brain and started to bring everything together, making it real. He let his head rest against the wall, and watched the water drop from the ceiling. He took a deep soothing breath.

Roxas was busy working away the grime, and shoved Axel around so he could wash the redheads back. "You never told me you had more tattoos," the blonde noted, breaking the silence. He was referring to the infinity sign made of flames that spanned Axel's shoulder blades.

Axel let out a light laugh, "yeah, that one in particular is a mystery to me. It must've sounded like a good idea when I was wasted."

"Interesting…"

"Yeah I know, it's not my best."

"You have _more_?"

"Yeah, they're on my thighs though, oh and on my foot. Here," Axel pushed his right leg out and pulled up his dripping pant leg a little. There, on the crook of his foot where the foot itself meets the ankle was a small eight, no bigger than a quarter.

"Why eight and also, why there?"

"Things seem to happen in sets of eight around me. My birthday is on an eighth, I was eight when my dad died, I had eight goldfish before Gerard, I used to be able to chug eight beers before I had to throw up but that one's less important. As for the placement? I have no idea. Once again it probably seemed like a really good idea when I was wasted."

Roxas stifled a laugh, making a small snort before he put his forehead against Axel's shoulder and shaking his head in disbelief. The blonde finished cleaning his back before smoothing his hands down Axel's arms with the soap a few times. He moved back around to the front and sat quietly, examining the redhead's wrists. Roxas himself had marks left by the shackles but nothing near the severity of Axel's.

Axel took the soap from the blonde and wiped at his wrists as lightly as he could. "I guess I should've listened when you said not to struggle, huh?"

"Why would you struggle to begin with? There wasn't anyone in the room with you."

"When I saw what Riku was doing to you, I couldn't help myself."

"You saw that? Of course you did. Riku made a point to tell me it was one-way glass," Roxas said, looking distant.

"I saw what happened to Leon, too."

Roxas heaved a heavy sigh, "Leon was working for Riku up until he tried to help me. Apparently he didn't know what Riku was like with me and once he figured it out he attacked Riku. So, once he was able to recover, Riku shot him."

"Shit."

"I agree."

"What's Sora's deal?"

"Sora is dependant on Riku for some reason. He'd do anything for him."

"Like kill his sister."

"Exactly."

"So what, Selphie served as a loyalty pledge or something?"

"It must have been."

"That's disgusting."

"I agree," Roxas' expression was blank, his eyes distant. Axel reached up and cupped a hand to blonde's face. Roxas jolted a little, pulling back into reality before leaning into the touch. Axel gave him a faltering smile.

"I'm more concerned about you though. Are you okay?" Axel asked quietly.

"I'll be fine. Are you?"

"I'm… alive."

"Good," Roxas gave Axel a weak smile. The redhead leaned forward and planted a kiss on Roxas' nose. Roxas raised a brow. "What was that for?"

"Testing you," Axel said simply.

"Should I have studied?"

Axel laughed, "you study too much as it is. You're doing fine just winging it."

"I try," Roxas quipped with a smirk. Axel smiled and pulled the other boy to him; the blonde's arms wrapped around his neck and he rested his head in the crook of Axel's collar bone. They both heaved a heavy, comforting sigh together.

"Hey Roxas?"

"Hmm?"

"This is real right? Everything?"

"I'm afraid it is."

"Okay, good."

"You're okay with all of this?"

"Well, most of it sucks but this? This right now? It's okay."

"I agree."

"Let's do this again when we get out."

"Sounds good."

Those words hung in the air for a period before they blended with the silence. Axel's stomach let out a low growl. "Sorry," he said quickly. "That sort of ruined it."

"I'm right there with you," Roxas looked at him with a weak smile.

"How long have we been here do you think?"

"Two? Three days maybe? I honestly don't know."

"I thought you couldn't live without water for more than three days?"

"You start to fall pretty quickly after two I think. So maybe it hasn't been that long."

"Well I dunno, I had a conversation with Selphie, does that count as falling?"

"…Did she talk back?"

"Yeah."

"I'd say you were pretty close."

Axel looked Roxas over for a minute. "I didn't realize your hair was so long," he said simply, running his fingers through the heavy blonde curls. He was referring to the way it laid flat against Roxas' head and hung down almost past his eyebrows. Roxas started to laugh.

"Is it that important?"

"I'm easily amused, remember?"

"Yes, I remember."

Before they could go any further, there was a banging on the door. They both flinched in surprise. The door flew open and Axel pulled his legs up to cross behind Roxas and wrapped his arms around the boy protectively. A man who Axel had never seen before poked his head in and looked down at them; he pointed a finger at Axel.

"You. With me," he said in a low voice. When Axel didn't move, the man squinted at him with beady eyes and reached behind his back and produced a hang gun and trained it on Roxas' back. "Or I can just shoot him." Axel froze. He felt Roxas' arms tighten around him. His eyes flicked between the gun and Roxas before he tried to pry the boy off of him.

"Roxas, let go."

"No."

"Let go, come on."

"No."

"Roxas! Please!" He grabbed the blonde's arms and tried to pull him off but his battered wrists made his effort half of what he wanted.

"I don't want to lose you again, Axel."

"I don't want to lose you either but if you don't let go, he's going to kill you and I'll lose you anyway, so please," the redhead pleaded. Roxas eventually let him go and sat back. Axel hobbled to his feet. When he looked down at the blonde he had pulled his knees to his chest and was hiding his face in his arms. The man ushered Axel out of the room, gun to his back.

As they walked along the man gave him verbal commands on where to go. He wrung the water out his hair and tried to comb some of the tangles out without much success. His dripping pants were beginning to chafe as they neared a door that Axel was told to go in. The man closed it behind him.

The room was barren save for a small kitchen area, a dining table, and a television that was on and tuned to the news. Hanging on the wall behind the television was a tapestry with an all too familiar tree and bird combination that made Axel shudder. Sitting peacefully at the table and eating a sandwich was Sora. His back was to Axel, watching the television.

"Oh hi," the brunette said. Axel gave him a wary look. "Riku had to leave, so you're free to go." Axel stared at him in shock.

"Wait what?"

"You heard me," Sora responded around a mouthful of sandwich. He held it out to the redhead with a smile, "hungry?"

Axel glared at him, confused. "What do mean? He just up and left?"

"Yep. His dad called and so he's on a plane to go meet with him." The television flicked to a spry looking female reporter. A picture from a surveillance camera popped onto the screen of Axel and Roxas sitting at the blackjack table together with the older couple from Santa Monica and the two girls who were fawning over Roxas. The headline read 'MISSING MILLION-HEIR' but the reporter's commentary was muted. Sora took another bite of his sandwich, watching carefully.

Axel's mind was a mess; he couldn't comprehend what was happening. Riku had locked him away for at least two days and abused Roxas to no end and for what? To play a game? To satisfy his own disgusting lust? This didn't sit well with Axel. "Why?"

Sora looked to him, "why what?"

"Why did he do this?"

"Do what? Keep you? Or let you go?"

"Everything," Axel's breathing was starting to pick up as he got angrier at the brunette.

"Well he had other plans for you but his dad called him away to somewhere. I don't think his dad knows what Riku does so he couldn't really refuse. I dunno, I'm just an innocent bystander."

"Innocent!?" Axel screamed. Sora just blinked at him and took another bite.

"Yeah. All I know is I have a plane to catch in the morning to go with him. So seriously, get out of my house."

"Your… house?" _What?_

"Or you can stay if you really want to. I'm going to destroy it when I leave so you may want to go. Riku doesn't really want either of you dead so I might get in trouble if you stay."

"He doesn't want us dead?" _This isn't making any sense_.

"Nope. He wants to play with you more, but he needs Roxas the most. You're just collateral."

"How can you be so calm!?" Axel bellowed. "I thought Roxas was your friend!"

"Roxas stopped being my friend after my parents were killed."

"Wait what?"

"Yeah, when I told you the breakup of our families' partnership was messy, it really was. My parents got into too much debt to Roxas' family and they ended up being shipped back to our house in boxes after they went on a trip to Europe. See that tree? Yeah they had that on them," Sora pointed to the tapestry, and Axel's blood ran cold. "Then Xemnas came along and paid off their debt and saved my siblings and me. So we became like a part of their family."

Axel was feeling sick to his stomach. He didn't understand. His heart started to race and he was feeling lightheaded. All he could think about was Bill, the investigator's voice.

"_Your parents are not special cases here, there have been others killed by this particular branch."_

Branch? Branch of what? The mafia? The military? He held a hand to his forehead to try and steady himself and his thoughts. Did Roxas' family kill his parents as well? Roxas seemed pretty important to the company even before his birthday, so did he orchestrate this? Axel hadn't realized but Sora was walking towards him, sandwich still in his hand.

"Confused?" The brunette asked.

"Y-yeah…"

"Riku wants Roxas. He wants what Roxas has. He can't get everything through Namine so he needs Roxas alive, get it?" Axel didn't respond. He just waited for Sora to continue. The brunette shoved the last piece of his sandwich in his mouth before continuing. "Riku is greedy."

"I know that."

"Your dad had a lot of debt to our casino, back when my family and Roxas' family were together. A lot of people did, really. A lot of people in this town have a lot of debt that we've had to collect on."

"By collection you mean…?"

"Of course. We give them a reasonable time to pay back the money or we take what is worth the most to them. Usually, they pay with their lives because they have nothing else to give, or they don't want their families involved," Sora explained calmly before leaving Axel where he stood and walking to the television. "It's merciful. We spare their families out of compassion."

"How is that mercy!?" Axel spat. He stalked across the room and prepared to grab onto Sora's skinny neck but the brunette continued.

"Your case is different, though," Axel froze. "You got in Riku's way. Once Namine told Riku about you getting close to her brother, everything changed. So, he made you pay in the only way Riku knows how."

"My mother."

"You're a quick study."

"So wait…" Axel rubbed his face. "Did Roxas' family kill my father?"

"Well it was _my_ family's casino, we simply shared the name," Axel grit his teeth before lunging at the boy. Sora was quick to react and moved back before pressing the button on his taser. The barbs hit Axel in the chest and fifty thousand volts shot through his body, causing him to fall to the ground and retract to the fetal position. Once Sora released him of the jolt, he lay on the floor panting. "You're stupid. Did you think I would just let you attack me?" Axel didn't answer, his muscles twitched involuntarily. In retrospect, it probably wasn't his best idea.

"Anyway, you need to leave. I have to pack," Sora stepped over Axel and made his way to the door.

"…Just like that?"

"Just like that. I wouldn't stand in Riku's way though, he _will_ kill you."

***

Roxas let out a sigh of relief when Axel walked back into their room. Roxas approached him and ran a timid finger over the burns on his chest, causing Axel to flinch. Axel's mind was in a fog, there was too much to comprehend, Roxas noticed the confusion in his face.

"What happened?" he asked in a meek voice.

"Sora said we're free to go." Roxas looked up at him with the same look of shock that he had given Sora.

"What? Just like that?"

"Just like that."

Roxas gaped at him. "Did he give a reason?"

"Xemnas called Riku away to somewhere. So we're free to go."

"Riku left Sora behind?"

"He said he had a plane ticket for the morning."

"But he didn't say where?"

"No."

Roxas' eyes were frantic with confusion. He stood in front of the redhead a while trying to mash his thoughts together into something cohesive but he eventually gave up. "I can't even fathom this."

"I know, lets just leave. There's a lot to talk about and neither of us is in any condition to think anymore," Roxas nodded in agreement. Axel figured they had time to talk later, he just wanted a bed and something to eat.

"We don't know where we are, though. It's cold outside too and we don't have any clothes."

"Sora said we're in his house."

"His... house? As in, down the street from mine? I thought we were in another city!" Roxas yelped.

"Must've been fucking with us."

The two of them linked hands and left the room together. The house itself had been turned into a sort of maze of concrete halls. They wandered their way along without any assistance, looking for a door that lead out. Eventually they came across Sora who was leaving another door and hefting a suitcase. He waved at them with a smile and Axel shoved Roxas behind himself. Sora started to laugh at his protective gesture and walked away, the door opened again as the man from before exited and followed after the brunette. Axel and Roxas waited until they couldn't see either of them anymore before continuing.

"Wait," Roxas said stopping by the door. He opened it and peeked inside before heading in. The room was a bedroom. It was decorated and carpeted and fully furnished. Roxas started going through drawers.

"What are you looking for?" Axel asked.

"Sora and I wear the same size."

"Oh. Well that's not cool, I don't get any?"

"Never mind, I found our things," Roxas said, pulling out Axel's jeans and shirt. He tossed them on the bed for the redhead before going back to the drawers. He found everything save for their shoes and the contents of their pockets, which meant no Blackberry and no car keys.

After they got dressed they were walking along again in attempts to find the exit. Sora was nowhere to be seen for the entirety of their journey. Eventually they started to pass a series of windows that seemed familiar to Axel and he stopped. Roxas watched with a curious look as Axel went and knocked on the glass. The redhead backed away and steadied himself before rearing back and putting a foot through the window. He immediately pulled it back before too much damage could be done to him, trying his best to ignore the pain.

"Found the door," he said with a smirk as he stripped off his shirt and wrapped his hand. He started to knock away the broken shards with his fist to make a hole big enough for them to get through. He laid his shirt over the windowsill and hefted Roxas out before climbing out himself. He quickly made a grab for the shirt and pulled it on, getting cut by a few stray pieces of glass.

In front of them loomed the same sandstone mansion that Selphie had waved to the day Axel played baseball with everyone. The outside was completely normal, the landscaping was well taken care of, and there was nothing out of place. It was unsettling to think that this normal looking, albeit luxury, home had such a madhouse inside complete with its own dungeon. Axel wondered how long it was like that or if it had ever been a normal home.

"That was… effective."

"Thank you," Axel said. A gust of cold wind shook through them and they both shivered. They made their way for the sidewalk and Axel noticed Roxas' limping again. Without saying a word he nudged Roxas and stopped to stoop so he could climb on his back. Roxas looked at him questioningly.

"I'll be fi—"

"Just get on."

Roxas huffed before draping himself onto the redhead's back and wrapping his arms around his neck. Axel's wrists were screaming as he carried Roxas but he didn't care. He was just relieved that they were out of there and on their way home. Roxas nuzzled his face in Axel's hair.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

"You can pay me back by never leaving me alone ever again."

"Okay. That sounds fair."

***

Alabaster was the first to find them when Axel stumbled through the front door. He was barking and jumping around excitedly and started to lick Axel's face when the redhead dropped to his knees and let Roxas climb off him. He was exhausted from the walk home, and from hunger. Roxas was shoving the giant animal out of his way before he sat in front of the redhead and pulled him down into his arms. Axel sighed into the blonde's chest, too tired to hug him back.

Xigbar rounded the corner and dropped his mug of coffee at the sight of them creating a small explosion of ceramic and liquid. He rushed over and fell to the ground by them before pulling them both into his huge arms and crushing them against his chest. Roxas yelped but Axel didn't have the energy to do anything and simply let it happen.

"Xigbar, you're crushing me," Roxas choked out.

"I don't care just shut up and let me make sure you're real," Xigbar said, squeezing harder, Axel thought his neck was going to snap and he let out a pained groan in protest. Xigbar released them at the noise and looked Roxas over before looking at Axel. "Holy shit, Axel you need a hospital."

"Bed first please," Axel croaked as he lowered himself to the marble.

"Axel had it a little worse than I did, Xigbar. He needs a bed and some food," Roxas said, his stomach growled just as he finished his sentence. "Okay maybe I need it too."

"Okay, let me take him up to his room first then—" Roxas held up a hand to stop him.

"We're going together. I told him I wouldn't leave him again," Roxas said simply. Xigbar gave him a confused look before backing away and hoisting Axel up and carrying him to the stairs. Roxas followed quietly behind them.

***

Axel tried his best to close his eyes and sleep. Every time he did, scenes would replay themselves and he was forced to open his eyes to make them stop. He hated it. Roxas was helping by running his hands through his fiery hair but try as he might, Axel just couldn't fall asleep. The blonde watched him carefully, his eyes full of worry.

"Do you want to take something to help you sleep?"

Axel tried to think about it but his groggy mind wouldn't let him formulate the thoughts. His vision was blurry and he was fading fast but he managed to shake his head before his mind slipped away and everything went black.

***

Roxas closed the door behind him gently. Xigbar was waiting for him outside of Axel's room. "Mind telling me what happened?" the older man asked.

"There's too much to say."

"Was it him?"

Roxas nodded, "he's getting serious about this. I refused his proposal and I suppose that was my fist mistake."

"Well you don't want to fall back into old habits do you?"

"No. My grandfather's ways died with him."

"Glad to hear it."

***

Axel was awake. He didn't know how long he was out but he also didn't care. His eyes opened slowly and he saw that it was daylight out. He felt rested. Hungry, but rested. It was a relatively pleasant feeling until he tried to move. Every muscle and every piece of connective tissue on his body was screaming in resistance as he tried to roll himself over.

His wrists were the worst; he could barely move his hands. The bruises stood stark against his pale complexion but the cuts had already scabbed over which was a good thing. He looked around and didn't see Roxas. Before he could get cynical about it, the door opened and the blonde stepped inside with a mug and a newspaper, he was dressed in silk pajamas and had his glasses on his nose. He looked like nothing had happened. Axel was more than a little envious.

"That's not fair, you look fine," Axel said which made Roxas startle and look at him.

"Good lord you scared me," Roxas said as he set his mug on the table next to the bed. "I thought you would still be sleeping. You've been out for two days."

"Yeah well my statement still stands. What gives?"

"I told you that you had it worse than I did. You believe me now?"

"Yeah…"

"If you're ready to get up, don't go outside."

"Why not?"

"The media is swarming the manor. You'll never get through."

"Oh. We have food though, right?"

"Thankfully."

"That's all I care about," Axel said, trying to push himself up. His arms were shaky but he tried his best to use his elbows and finagle his way to sitting. Roxas set his newspaper down and helped him. "I feel so heavy."

"You'll have that. Did you need help into the bathroom?"

"I think I can walk okay, it's just my upper body that's the problem."

"Okay, you go ahead and I'll call Demyx and have him bring you some breakfast."

Axel staggered his way into the bathroom and relieved himself before he moved to see himself in the mirror. He looked gaunt, with papery skin and bags under his eyes. He lifted his shirt and examined the burn on his chest. It had scabbed over but was still tender. His leg wasn't too bad either, some cuts here and there but mostly fine. He sighed and looked at the shower. He thought of the bed. Then he thought of food and decided that was his next mission. He splashed some water on his face before trying to rake his fingers through his hair. He gave up quickly at the hopeless endeavor and exited the bathroom. Demyx was with Roxas, setting a plate of food on a tray they had set up.

"Axel!" Demyx said happily before skipping over to him and wrapping his arms around the redhead and squeezing the life from him.

"Oh my god you're going to kill me," Axel grunted in one breath. Demyx released him.

"I'm sorry!" he said quickly. "Well… I'm happy you're safe. You need to eat slowly otherwise you'll distend your stomach and cause a whole bunch of problems. So, little bites, lots of chewing and stop when you're full, don't stuff yourself."

Axel nodded, rubbing at his rib cage absently. Demyx smiled happily and left. He sat on the bed and pulled the plate to himself. Roxas lay himself out at the foot of his bed and was reading his newspaper, watching Axel eat every now and again from the corner of his eye. Once Axel had had his fill, he set the plate down and flopped back onto the bed. His stomach gurgled and twisted uncomfortably as it forced itself into action again.

"I had the same problem," Roxas said without looking over.

"I had it once when I was younger. I had been doing something that kept me so blasted that I had forgotten to eat for like… four days. I didn't understand at the time though that you just can't scarf down what you want once you remember to eat. That was messy."

"Wonderful visuals, thank you," Roxas retorted.

"No problem," Axel smiled. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Axel winced a few times as his stomach gurgled unhappily but it eventually quieted. "I need to change," he thought aloud.

"Did you want me to leave?"

"Did you want to watch?"

Roxas smiled and chuckled a little, "I don't have to; I can keep my eyes on my newspaper."

"Okay," Axel moved off the bed and went to his dresser and pulled out a pair of pajama bottoms before changing. He watched Roxas the entire time and noticed that the blonde stayed true to his word and didn't gawk at him. Axel retrieved his hairbrush from the bathroom and tossed it on the bed next to Roxas. The blonde quirked a brow at it before looking at Axel.

"Thank you?" he questioned. Axel smiled and held out his wrists.

"I can't brush my hair. Mind giving me a hand?"

Roxas looked thoughtful for a moment before taking his glasses off his face and giving him a harsh look. "You're so _needy_," he whined dramatically.

"Was… was that sarcasm?" Axel asked with a grin.

"Indeed it was."

"That's new."

"Well, nothing like going through a traumatic week with someone to make you feel a little closer, yes? Maybe I'm just taking your advice to heart and loosening up."

"Awesome," Axel quipped happily. He sat on the bed and Roxas moved behind him on his knees and proceeded to try his best to get a brush through his mane. It took the blonde over twenty minutes to get all the tangles and knots out, but when he did he ran fingers through it and Axel sighed happily at the feeling.

"There. Nice and smooth," Roxas said before reaching around and setting the brush on the nightstand. Axel slid himself under the covers again and watched Roxas go back to his newspaper. After a long pause, he spoke.

"Hey Roxas?"

"Yes?"

"Did you tell Xigbar everything?"

"Yes."

"_Everything?_"

"I'm not sure what you're getting at."

"Well you weren't going to tell him when Riku attacked you in front of me, remember? I just want to make sure he knows."

"He does."

"Okay good. I have another question."

"Hmm?"

"Did your family kill Sora's parents?" Roxas stopped halfway through turning the page. He didn't look at Axel.

"Did Sora say that?"

"Yeah."

Roxas sighed. He pulled his glasses off again and set them aside before moving next to Axel and looking him directly in the eyes with a serious face. "I want you to know that those ways are of the past. My grandfather was a harsh man and did many unforgivable things to the people that owed him money."

Axel looked away, "so it's true."

"I'm not going to deny it, no. But like I said, those are ways of the past. I'm not going to continue that legacy, Axel. I hope you believe me."

"I'm trying to, but I'm confused. Sora said his family killed my father and that Riku took my mother," he stopped, feeling a lump in his throat start to form, "but they copied the way your family does it?"

"Did it. Past tense. But yes."

"So the tree and the bird pattern?"

"Was our company logo before the partnership split apart. We've adapted the one from my grandfather's ring in place of it. The tree was supposed to die with all of that horrid past."

"Which is why you and Namine were in the line-up," the pieces were starting to click for Axel. If only a little.

"Excuse me?"

_Oh yeah_, "when I talked to the police about my mom, they had me pick out some people from a lineup. You, Namine, Selphie, and Riku were all there."

"Oh… I didn't know that."

"I didn't say anything because I didn't know if I was supposed to."

"I understand. It makes sense though. It's not like the tree was some secret symbol that we were trying to cover up. It was on the signs for the hotels and in the public eye a lot."

Axel looked thoughtful for a moment. He was considering how to regard Roxas after confirming the misdeeds his family had done before him. Axel hadn't thought about his father and the things surrounding that event in a long time. He didn't see any reason to dredge it all up again even with this new information, either. As long as Roxas didn't give him any indication that he was doing anything like that currently with his company, he could live with it, he supposed.

"Have you heard from Namine?" the redhead asked after his internal banter with himself.

"I saw her. She didn't say much."

"Do you think she gets it yet?"

"I have no idea."

"I hope she doesn't marry Riku. That would be bad."

"It would be bad."

Axel threw his hands up to his face to clear a sudden visual, "Oh god could you imagine Riku-Namine spawns? Ugh!"

"Perish the thought," Roxas furrowed his brows.

"What would you do if she did show up pregnant?"

"By Riku? Disown her and take her off my will."

"You have a will already?"

"With as much money as I have under my hands, I almost have to."

"Good point. Seems like a morbid thing though at your age," Axel said before letting out a yawn.

"A necessary evil. Are you tired still?"

"Not really sleepy tired, but my body is just… dead."

"I can set up an appointment with Marluxia if you want."

"I may take you up on that one, but for now I think I'll just take a nap."

"I'll be here if you need me."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** There's that thing about the 'M' again.

And also *headdesk* long chapter is long.

Chapter 13

Being alone in the dark was never really something Axel considered a fear of his. Not since recently, anyway. Since falling asleep again earlier in the day and waking again to find it was three thirty in the morning of the next day and it was pitch black, he's been staring into space, frozen and terrified. His body knew he was at home but his mind was still trapped in the concrete box by himself without anybody to talk to but a dead girl who was steadily rotting away.

He pulled the covers over his head like he was always told to do by his mother whenever he was afraid of monsters in the night. Except he wasn't four, and the monsters were real. Horrible beasts that looked like normal people, ones that he had nearly made friends with on some occasions, and ones he almost started to trust. The lack of stability around him was enough to send his battered mind over the edge.

His heart started to race and he couldn't catch his breath. He pulled his legs to his chest and attempted to hide amongst himself, which didn't help. His mind started to fizzle out of control with thoughts of the people around him dying, dropping like flies. It started with his parents. Coming home from school in third grade to find his father lying face down on the living room floor blood surrounding him and turning into a thick gravy as it congealed into the carpet.

His mother was being raped and beaten before him, in his bed, with his goldfish flopping around suffocating in the stale basement air. She was letting out guttural screams around her gag, blaming Axel for leaving her to go hang out with half-assed friends and people who just dragged him into this horrid environment. The look of terror on Selphie's face as she was chained to the wall and forced to watch her brother slice her throat as she looked up at the mirrored ceiling. The sound of the clattering Roxas' must have heard as shards of Leon's skull fell onto the glass next to him as a face came into view next to his with a look of fear cemented on the lifeless visage.

Axel thrust the covers off himself and made a mad dash for the bathroom, barely making it to the porcelain bowl before turning his stomach inside out. The weight on his chest never left as he sat back and hugged his legs to his chest, panting with wild eyes. He grabbed chunks of his hair in a desperate attempt to literally pull himself together, hoping that the tugging on his follicles would be enough to wake him up from his nightmare. He started to scream.

***

Roxas jolted awake. He didn't know why, he couldn't really remember, but he was awake. He looked at the clock; the glowing numbers told him it was three thirty. He took a deep breath in order to calm his shaking nerves. Did he have a nightmare? It was all a blur.

He felt like feathers were running up and down his body under his skin. A gentle touch here, a tickle there. It was nice in the beginning, wasn't? He had showered Roxas in so much attention after his grandfather had died, but not in the same kind of attention that everyone else did. Everyone wanted his money, his future, his… destiny? Roxas didn't believe in destiny.

This one was different. His smiles made Roxas smile and his kisses made him float on cloud nine. Sure he was a couple years older, but who cared? No one did, age is just a number. They were just being boys, he always heard. Experimenting was normal wasn't it? And besides, Roxas looked so much like a girl anyway, maybe he was just confused. He got along with Namine too, so no worries. All was fine.

When did it change? When did his touch turn rough? When did he start to bite and scratch and force his way into Roxas' being? What made him attack Roxas with a baseball bat? When did his eyes start to cloud as he faded away into a place where Roxas couldn't reach him? Made him hate him? Was it the drugs? The drinking? Or did everything culminate together and finally burst?

Well, no matter. The past is the past. Roxas was moving forward. He wasn't going to let his new one get away and turn dark. And if he did? What would he do? What if his own personal red flame became dim like the glittering silver one did? What if he fell back into old habits? Would Roxas follow him? He might. He seriously considered just letting him pull him under.

Roxas was jolted out of his reverie by screaming. A distant, low and frantic screaming. He bolted upright and tried to run out of the room but was immediately reminded of why he couldn't do that and he yelped as he fell to his knees when his leg gave out. He swore under his breath and pulled himself up, trying to reach the source of the screaming.

***

There was a thud of legs against tile as Axel felt himself being pulled into someone's arms. He hiccupped his screaming back down his throat and clung to the body in front of him, never wanting to let go. Roxas didn't say a word; he simply pulled as much of the redhead as he could to himself and held on tight to let Axel work through whatever it was that made him make such terrible sounds. He let out a slow breath and ran his fingers through Axel's hair.

The bathroom smelled of vomit, which made Roxas crinkle his nose. Everything was dark when he had entered the room and only the bedroom light coming through the door had let him see Axel huddled in a heap on the tile. He immediately felt guilty, having left the redhead by himself, but he honestly thought he would sleep through until morning. Roxas could hear heavy footfalls coming down the hall.

"Axel?!" Xigbar yelled into the room. He didn't see anyone in the bedroom so he went to the bathroom to check. He clicked on the light and saw the two on the floor.

"He's having a moment, just leave us please," Roxas said calmly to the older man. Xigbar hesitated before clicking the light off and taking a seat in an available chair.

Axel's breathing had slowed and he shuddered a sigh. Roxas picked up the redhead's face between his hands to look in his eyes. Axel's vision darted back and fourth, searching for something before he blinked several times and his face relaxed when he realized who was in front of him. Roxas gave him a wavering smile.

"Good morning, are you alright?" the blonde asked with as soothing of a voice as he could muster. Axel nodded slowly before sitting up. Roxas reached behind him and flushed the toilet, simply for the sake of getting rid of the smell.

Axel didn't say anything but moved himself aside and pulled himself up using the countertop. He turned on the sink, pulled out the toothpaste and his toothbrush and started to brush his teeth. He spat into the sink before smacking his lips together, doing a taste test. He shook his head a little and started to brush again. He used his free hand to open the cabinets and search for the mouthwash.

After gargling a few times, Axel finally felt he was clean enough to speak without his breath melting anyone's eyebrows off. "I hate throwing up."

"I think everyone does," Roxas agreed, pushing him self up.

"I knew this girl in high school that was bulimic, but she enjoyed throwing up all the time. She loved being around me because I was always the gangly tall kid that everyone thought didn't eat, even though I ate like… everything. She was creepy."

"Doesn't sound like a person that I would like."

"She didn't have many friends."

Roxas looked Axel over, "why were you in here to begin with?"

"Isn't it obvious? I had to throw up."

"You know what I mean."

Axel sighed, "I know. I don't feel like talking about it right now though. Can I just go back to bed?" Roxas moved forward and took his hand.

"Not without me you're not."

"You don't have to do this you know. I'll be fine."

"I know I don't, but I want to." The pair left the bathroom and Xigbar sat up straight, giving them a questioning look. Axel hauled himself under the covers followed shortly by Roxas.

"Should I not tell your mother?" he asked.

"Please. And turn the light off on your way out," Roxas responded.

***

There was a low rumble in the distance. It wasn't very loud, but the aftershock was enough to make Roxas' heart skip a beat. He bolted upright in Axel's bed and made his way to the window. Down the street about a half a mile away there was a plume of smoke billowing up from the hill. The reporters that were in front of his house were quickly making their ways to their vans and driving towards the explosion.

Roxas went back to the bed and started nudging Axel's sleeping form. "Hey, Axel. Wake up," the redhead grunted at him angrily and rolled away. Roxas sighed and had to crawl back onto bed to push him harder. "Get up!"

Axel startled and sat up, it took him a minute to realize it was Roxas that had awoken him to which he shoved him a little in the shoulder and glared at him. "_Ass_. Don't yell at me."

"Come see," Roxas made his way to the window again.

Axel yawned and padded over. "Holy shit. So he was serious."

"Who?"

"Sora said he was going to destroy his house."

"Damn. The police were going to start investigating today. I hope they didn't start already."

"That would suck."

"Indeed. At least the reporters are gone. Maybe I can actually get my morning paper by myself today."

"What time is it?" Axel picked up his tiny alarm clock and saw that it was only a little after seven. He groaned. "Fuck this I'm going back to sleep."

"Go ahead, I'm already awake."

Axel shoved a pillow over his face in attempts to smother any thinking away. There would probably be nothing left for the police to find, and thus the trail would turn cold. Any itineraries, and papers, any… bodies would have been obliterated. Axel wished he had had enough brain power at the time to question the brunette further about where Riku and his father went, but he wasn't capable of it. He felt a pang of guilt when he realized that he could've prevented the trail from stopping. He sighed. The pillow hadn't helped his case. He needed a smoke. When he sat up again with a huff, Roxas was still watching out the window.

"What's up?"

"Hm? Oh nothing, I was just thinking."

"About?"

"Nothing in particular, really."

"Liar."

"I'm serious. Well, I did think a little on how my mother is coming home early. Apparently she heard the news, but she needed to get into port first, thus the delay."

"Oh _goody_."

"If she's any kind of mother, she'll show me some support, but I don't want to get my hopes up."

"I wouldn't," Axel added grumpily.

"Well she has surprised me before." There was a light knock on the door before Xigbar walked in.

"Oh. I see I don't need to tell you anything," the older man said.

"Nope," the pair said synonymously.

Xigbar was silent for a minute, watching Roxas watch the scene out the window and watching Axel watch the blonde. Even though he knew it was more than a little childish of him, he felt left out of whatever they shared. He had been close to Roxas for so many years; he imagined that this is what it felt like for a parent watch their child grow up. He wasn't sure if he was ready for that feeling yet.

"Xigbar?" Roxas chimed.

"Yeah?"

"Did you need something?"

"Not really, no."

Namine appeared in the doorway, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What's going on?" she asked with a light yawn. She looked to Axel then to Roxas, then to Xigbar.

"Sora's house is gone," Axel said simply.

"Gone? Like… poof?"

"Yeah, but with less 'poof' and more 'ker-blam.'"

She crossed the room to stand next to Roxas. "Holy cow! I wonder if they all got out okay," then she gasped "I need to call Selphie!" she dashed off with a worried look. It hadn't occurred to Axel that Namine was really clueless about everything. Roxas said he had seen her, but he didn't actually know the extent of what he had told her, if anything. Roxas turned to Xigbar and nodded to the older man and he left after her.

"You haven't told her yet?"

"I told her to stay away from Riku or there would be consequences. I haven't gone into detail yet, no. She hasn't been around and I haven't had the energy. Xigbar had offered to tell her for me, but I felt I should be the one to say it, but I suppose now I don't have a choice."

"I see," Axel said. Not long after the two had left the room there was a loud scream and the sounds of glass breaking. Xigbar's voice could be heard talking in a slow and even tone but apparently Namine wasn't having any of it; she continued. Roxas sighed and went to sit on the edge of the bed, waiting for his sister to come back in. After a while, the screaming ceased and quiet sobs were heard.

"She may be a horrible sister but it's not easy to lose a friend, even if that friend was as crazy as she is," the blonde said, folding his hands in his lap.

"Yeah, I feel bad for her." Axel noted the blank look on Roxas' face that had been there since he woke up. He snaked a hand across the bed and hooked a few fingers in the blonde's pajama bottoms and pulled him across the bed. Roxas let out a disgruntled yelp as he slid back. The blonde immediately turned around to pick the wedgie out of his butt and Axel grinned.

"What was that for?" Roxas growled.

"Trying to make you have a face other than the spacey one."

"So you give me a wedgie? That's hardly a better alternative."

"I just wanted you over here, the wedgie was an added bonus," Axel said simply. Roxas glared at him.

"What did you want? I'm here now."

"Don't get testy with me, young man."

Roxas sputtered, he was starting to get frustrated with Axel. "Testy? You give me a wedgie and you expect me to be happy about it? Of course I'm going to get testy!" Axel didn't react; he simply lay amongst the covers watching him with a smile. Roxas realized what a fool he was making of himself. He stopped with the angry face and gave Axel a complacent look. Axel's smile turned into a toothy grin.

"I win," the redhead said simply.

"You're so mean to me sometimes."

"I'm never mean," Axel huffed. Roxas moved his way off the bed silently and left the room. Axel watched him curiously but didn't go after him. After a few minutes he figured the blonde wasn't going to come back and that maybe he had remembered something he needed to do. Axel yawned and stretched before settling into his bed again.

Roxas came back into the room. Axel ignored him and pretended to sleep. The blonde quietly slid under the covers with him and draped an arm down the length of Axel's side. He backed into the blonde a little, cuddling up happily. It was about that moment that Roxas stuck a fist into his pants and rested it on his hip. Axel tensed a little, he was confused. Roxas started to emit a low chuckle as he opened his hand and something extremely cold and wet slid down the front of Axel's pelvis. Immediately Axel lurched forward and started to flail at the sensation. Roxas began to laugh and backed out of the bed before Axel could stick a hand in his pants to find that the blonde had shoved an ice cube in them.

"You're so not cute!" the redhead screeched, throwing the offending cube at Roxas.

The blonde tried to talk through his laughter, "get dressed. We're going for a ride," before shutting the door behind him.

***

The partial shell of the Larkspur home was roped off by the police. As soon as Roxas and Axel cruised up on Roxas' Ducati, the press was all over them. Thirty seconds later Xigbar arrived on his own bike and shooed the vultures away simply by looking intimidating. The three of them stood on the police perimeter watching the action. A few of Roxas' 'neighbors' from the gated community milled about as well and the blonde made small talk with them.

Axel wasn't upset that the building was destroyed. He had actually considered blowing it up himself if Sora had been bluffing so it only saved him the effort. It gave him some closure too. Riku couldn't use the house anymore for his sick games, so what else did he have? Nothing near Axel that's for sure, so that was a comforting thought for him. The fire department hadn't left even though they had the blaze and the smoke cleared away, and Axel was surprised to see Bill walking around. He eventually noticed the redhead and approached.

"I'm sorry I lied to you, Axel," the plump man said.

"Lied?"

"I told you that you weren't in any immediate danger, and I lied. I'm sorry."

"Well… okay. But it really wasn't your fault," Axel tried his best to give the man a reassuring look.

"If we weren't so busy looking into your friend here," he motioned to Roxas, "we may have been able to prevent all that's happened to you. We just didn't know how involved the Larkspurs and the Goldsmiths were. I apologize to you too, Mr. Meadows."

Roxas waved a hand dismissively, "you're being dramatic."

"Wel,l all the same. We're currently trying to track down the Goldsmiths, but we haven't had any leads. Have either of you heard anything that may help us?"

"You're welcome to talk to my sister," Roxas said plainly, keeping his eyes on the rubble.

Bill flipped through the papers on his clipboard, "Namine?" Roxas nodded.

"She's a little upset about her friend at the moment but I can call you once she calms down."

"I would appreciate that," Bill looked visibly upset. Axel felt for him, but at the same time he was a little angry that the man hadn't arrested Riku at any point in the boy's twisted life. But what did Axel know? Riku may have already been in and out of jail ten times over.

As they tried to leave the media, followed them and assumed their previous positions in front of the manor. Namine was in the entry way ready to strike.

"_You_," she snarled at Axel. "This is all your fault!"

"_My_ fault? How is it my fault?"

"You're the reason that Selphie died! If you had never gotten between Riku and Roxas, Sora would've never had to have killed her! It's your fault!" she screamed.

"You're not making any sense," Axel said.

"Namine," Roxas said in a stern voice. His sister ignored him. She stomped her way across the marble floor and glowered at the redhead, her hands in fists. Axel expected her to try and hit him but instead her face crumbled and she fell to her knees sobbing uncontrollably. Axel didn't try to comfort her; he walked past and headed for the stairs. Roxas followed without speaking as well.

Axel flopped face first into his comforter. Roxas sat next to him quietly. The redhead contemplated the possibilities that it might in fact be partially his fault that all this happened. But then again Sora still had hostility towards Roxas even before Axel knew the blonde and Riku's father still picked up the pieces of his broken family. So really, Namine's claims were baseless. It must just be her way of grieving, which was fine as long as she didn't do anything drastic. Axel sighed heavily.

"So what do you want to do?" Axel asked.

"Oh, I don't know. I don't really have much to do; my executives took all my work for me and my homework was caught up before we even went to the casino. So I have nothing productive to do, really."

"That must be nice for a change."

"It is."

"Well sitting around being bored isn't good for my fragile mindset. Let's go roll around in the mud naked together." Roxas gave him a look like '_what the hell have you been on?_' Axel laughed. "I'm kidding, relax."

"I wasn't sure for a minute," Roxas looked thoughtful, "how're your wrists?"

"Useable. Why?"

"Let's go play," Roxas said with a smile.

***

'Play,' was defined as 'going into the game room and figuring out something to do.' The game room itself housed the bar that Larxene used to force Everclear on the boys in the near past. The rest of the room however was nicely furnished with a pool table, air hockey, foosball, cabinets full of board games and decks of various kinds of cards, a couple of tables with some chairs and section against the back wall with a large television and a huge leather couch. Underneath the television was every kind of modern gaming system and a few of the older ones with a library of games to choose from. Axel had almost forgotten about this room.

His first instinct was to head to the television but Roxas wanted to play 'billiards.' Axel snorted at the outdated term. "You sound like you were born in the 1920's when you say that."

"Well _excuse_ me for feeling old," Roxas retorted whilst racking up the balls. "They are in fact two different games though; I should probably say 'pool.'"

"Whatever, I should warn you though, I'm _awesome_ at this game."

"Oh are you now? Shall we make it a little more interesting?"

"Like how?"

Roxas made an exaggerated 'thinking' face before going over to the bar and retrieving a bottle of Disaronno Originale and two shot glasses. Axel started to shake his head and laugh.

"What?" Roxas questioned. "Afraid of drinking games?"

"Oh no, I'm good with that but I never expected you to initiate one."

"It's been a rough week. I need to relax."

"I agree, but this is a little surreal. Just promise me you won't turn into your mother when I drink you under the table."

"I'll be fine, believe me. Besides I doubt your talent," Roxas said with a smirk. The terms were set. One drink for every turn they missed a shot, one for every scratch, and one for every time they knocked in the other's ball. They each took one to start off with and Roxas went first to break.

"God damn," Axel commented as the balls scattered everywhere with the force of Roxas' shot. He squinted thoughtfully at the table before lining up and dropping the five ball in a pocket. Roxas followed with dropping the twelve into the same pocket.

Two shots and five turns later, Axel decided to start messing with the blonde. Roxas was lining up for his next shot, cheeks already looking pink. Axel sneaked around behind him and poked him in the back with his cue sending a jolt up the other boy's spine. Roxas spun around and glared at him.

"Was that necessary?"

"No, but I wanted to."

"Go stand over there, I don't trust you standing behind me," Roxas huffed before Axel shuffled his way across the table. The three was touching the fifteen and Roxas glared at them, knowing he wouldn't be able to hit his without hitting the other. He sighed and took the shot anyway. The three went careening away as the fifteen sunk into a pocket. Axel cheered as the three rolled delicately into another pocket and Roxas swore under his breath.

The blonde walked to Axel for his shot, and the redhead beamed at him whilst handing it over. "Why Roxas, you're looking so flushed. Are you feeling a little fuzzy?"

"Not a chance," the blonde spat.

"No need to get hostile."

"Yeah well you're looking a little rosy, yourself."

Axel shrugged and examined the table. He lined up again and sunk the one ball easily. When Roxas was about to shoot his next turn Axel had to mess with him again. "Do you want kids?" the redhead blurted, which made the blonde scratch.

"What?"

"Do you want kids? Children. Terrible monsters that get boogers on your windows."

"Why are you asking this _now_?"

"To mess with you." Axel said with a smug look. Roxas rolled his eyes.

"I've never thought about it, honestly."

"You have a will and you've never thought about the future of your bloodline? I find that hard to believe," Axel quipped, pouring Roxas another shot.

"Okay I lied, I _have_ thought about it. But I've told you before that I've never had any experience with women like that so unless you're going to squeeze some through your dick, I don't think we'll be getting very far."

"My my how vulgar," Axel laughed. "Are you proposing I bear your children?"

"Find me a wife and I'll give you some," Roxas took his shot and shoved the glass back in his hands once it was empty. "Otherwise, sure, you're welcome to be the woman in this relationship."

"We're in a relationship now?"

"I don't know what we're doing."

"Neither do I, but who says we _need_ a woman? If you want kids so bad, we could adopt."

"My mother would never go for it," Roxas lined up and smacked a random ball across the table. Apparently he wasn't paying much attention to the game anymore because he started to punt the rest of them into various pockets. Axel watched curiously.

"Are you okay? I wasn't trying to be serious, you know," Axel asked carefully. Roxas ignored him and was looking particularly cranky and very serious.

"We're just treading on a subject I wasn't prepared to traverse."

"Which would that be? Your mother? Children?"

"Us."

"Oh…sorry, we don't have to talk about it."

"We need to though."

"Well, I think so too but if you want to wait that's okay too."

Roxas set his cue on the table and walked to the redhead. He stopped in front of him and crossed his arms across his chest, looking him in the eye. He took a deep breath through his nose, "I don't know what to do."

Axel leaned on the table, "well what do you want?"

"I want stability."

"That's not what I was asking but stability is good. I'm not so sure if I can give you that though. I've never been very stable."

"I want…" Roxas huffed, looking at the carpet, "I don't know what I want."

Axel poured himself another shot and took it, "the only thing I'm sure of is that I don't like being away from you."

Roxas looked him over before shrugging, "I feel the same way." The blonde walked over to the couch and threw himself across it lazily. "I'm probably paranoid though, and I can't stop thinking about this."

"Paranoid how?" Axel followed and sat on the armrest.

"I think about it, and think about it but then I start to scare myself. I think about my mother and then the future of my name, my responsibilities, the public opinion, the opinion of my employees and possibly losing most of them. I was raised with the notion that you grow up, get married to nice woman, have some kids, retire, and then let the kids take over. I can't do all that if I'm gay."

Axel thought about that. His life seemed so much simpler in retrospect, other than the tragedies surrounding him and the things he brought upon himself; he really didn't have much else he was forced to think about. "I'm sorry I can't relate more. I don't have those kinds of responsibilities to consider."

"The outside sources are what're keeping me from progressing with you," he rubbed a hand over his face. "But then again, it's not like I'll lose everything if I move forward. I can hire new people and give the media the middle finger, possibly to my mother as well. I can break it all down and rebuild it to suit myself if I so desire. The path of least resistance is the one I've been following so far."

"I don't want to throw a wrench in your life."

"It'll only be a problem if I let it be a problem. It's too easy for me to fall into the mold that everyone has created for me. I hardly do anything for myself, and if I let my self-preservation ruin my life, then well… I suppose I deserve it then."

"You do what you feel comfortable doing, I'm not going to force you into anything."

"I appreciate that. I feel better having said everything, thank you."

"You're welcome," Axel said with a smile. After a moment of tedious silence he started getting antsy. "Did you want to restart the game?"

"Sure," they moved over to the table again and Roxas started picking the balls out of the pockets and setting them in the triangle. Axel retrieved the cues and handed one over to the blonde who took it with a contemplating look. Axel raised an eyebrow, he knew Roxas was having an internal debate with himself and he wanted to change the subject. He rubbed a chalk cube on his finger before smearing a line across the blonde's cheek. Roxas gave him a displeased look before wiping at his face.

"Stop worrying about me winning, you'll get wrinkles," Axel quipped smugly.

"You know damn well I'm not worried about that," Roxas retorted.

Throughout the next round, Roxas started to play into the redhead's games bit by bit. When Axel would poke and prod him in the middle of a shot, Roxas would do it right back his next turn. They didn't drink this time, they simply tried their best to screw up the other ones game and by the time only a few balls were left on the table they were both feeling incredibly lax.

"You're going down, short stuff," Axel said triumphantly as he started his turn.

"With you on me or in me?" Roxas retorted with a smirk, Axel startled and scratched, which made the blonde laugh.

"You can't come out of no where with that, you'll give me a hernia."

"Okay fine. I can see you're already backing down. I'll leave you alone."

"Oh is that what you think? Not a chance," Axel quickly lined up and took a poorly aimed shot before Roxas had a chance to mess with him again. He missed. Roxas moved next to the redhead and shooed him out of his way before lining up for his turn. Axel reached behind the blonde and gave his rump a firm squeeze before skittering away to the other end of the table. Roxas jumped so high his knee banged into the table.

"I call a foul!" he said, rubbing his knee. Axel laughed.

"Don't be such a weenie," he teased.

"A weenie? What are we, six?"

"Don't be cute you prissy bastard."

Roxas rolled his eyes, "delinquent," he pulled the same mistake Axel made and lined up too quickly for his shot and missed completely.

"Aw, low blow," Axel moved around the table again for his turn. He was about to move his cue forward to meet the cue ball when Roxas spoke.

"I'll show you a _low blow_."

"That's it!" Axel shouted and tossed his cue stick on the table. "I give up. You win."

Roxas laughed. "I'm sorry, I just like watching your reactions."

Axel sighed, but smiled. "You play all cute and hoity-toity but then you pull this shit on me, it's too much," he leaned on the table and crossed his arms.

"I'll stop. I promise," Roxas said. "You think I'm cute?"

"Of course I do."

"Everyone does. I've always been _cute_."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It is in some respects."

"Well I was only cute until I was about three. Then all my hair grew in and I started to look like a deranged muppet or something. Don't even get me started on puberty. At least you're consistent."

"A deranged… muppet?"

"Okay maybe not a muppet exactly but I definitely looked like a wild child."

"I can see that."

"Thanks for being so understanding," Axel spat before making his way to the couch again and sitting down, sprawling his long legs across the entire length of the seat. Roxas went to go sit with him but stopped, noticing his hogging of the furniture.

"Thanks for leaving me a seat, jerk."

"Don't cry, now," the redhead said with a grin. He held up his arms for the blonde. Roxas looked a little unsure before timidly draping himself across Axel's torso. Before he was all the way down he grabbed the remote and clicked on the television. He settled himself on the redhead's chest and tried not to be tense. Axel kept his arms tucked behind his head.

"I'm not too heavy am I?"

Axel took in a strong breath, lifting Roxas with the expanding of his lungs, "nope, you're fine, I can breathe." Roxas smiled a little and listened to his heartbeat. Axel laughed a little under his breath at something that was happening on the television and the boom of his chuckle echoed through Roxas' ears. The blonde move his head to other parts of his chest to see what else he could hear. He was surprised when Axel spoke. "What're doing?"

"Listening," he responded settling his ear against Axel's ribcage.

"For what? The ocean? They're my lungs, Roxas; they aren't going to have a conversation."

"Don't tease me. I've never done this before with someone, I'm a little fascinated."

"You've never been held? _I've _held you before…"

"Not like this. And you're not really holding me either."

"Okay, get all technical about it if you want," Axel rolled his eyes and draped his arms around the boy and squashed him to his chest. Roxas let out a huff. After a few seconds Axel released him and flicked a spike of blonde hair, "why are you so tense?"

"I'm allowed to be uncomfortable with new situations aren't I?"

"We've been closer than this before, why are you nervous all of a sudden?"

"Because I'm accepting it and it's making it more real for me."

"Oh… fair enough," Axel said and kept his hands to himself. Roxas eventually settled down and lay comfortably against him. The rhythmic beating of Axel's pulse was almost enough to put him asleep. He was just about to doze when Axel ran his long fingers through his hair. He looked up to see that Axel wasn't watching the television anymore, but was focused on him. Axel smiled warmly.

"I'm not hurting your burn am I?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Well let me know… I don't want to do anything to hurt you—" Axel poked him to get him to stop.

"I told you not to worry about it, come here," he said quietly, pulling the blonde further up so he could rest his head on Axel's shoulder. Roxas moved and wedged himself between the back of the couch and Axel's body and draped an arm over him. The redhead gave him a reassuring kiss on the forehead before settling back. From this angle Roxas could see down the entire expanse of the other boy's figure. He wondered if this point of view is what a mouse would feel like on top of a sky scraper if they had been upright. The redhead's arm moved behind Roxas' back and he froze, Axel hesitated a bit before resting his hand on the curve of the blonde's side. Roxas suddenly had the fluttering feeling of butterflies in his stomach.

Axel tilted his head to rest against Roxas' crown of blonde and sighed contentedly. Out of the corner of his eye, Roxas could see subtle movement near the zipper of the redhead's jeans. Axel shifted and bent his knee to bring his leg up and skewed the view in a crease of fabric. Roxas blushed and tried his best to hide in Axel's shoulder. His heartbeat skipped a little as he felt himself having the same reaction. He started to have an internal struggle with himself on how he should react. He furrowed his brows in a debate that he hoped Axel wouldn't notice.

In a desperate attempt to get his brain to stop overloading, Roxas reached up and timidly fiddled with a lock of red hair that was draped on Axel's other shoulder. Axel took his hand and pressed it to his chest. "You know that puts me to sleep," he said in a low voice that made Roxas' arm hair stand on end and give him goodbumps.

Axel's hand on the blonde's side started to play idly with a fold in his shirt. The tiny sensations of feather-like touches were enough to make Roxas scream. He was feeling so hyper sensitive about every little thing that his heart started to beat rapidly and he felt the redness of his cheeks creep up to the tops of his ears. He shifted himself around so he could push himself up on his elbow and see Axel's face. The redhead watched him with curious eyes. Before he gave himself time to flip out any further, Roxas leaned in and gave Axel a timid kiss.

When he pulled back Axel watched Roxas' face for any sign of apprehension. There was a minimal trace in Roxas' expression that Axel considered before taking his chin and pulling him back to his lips. He didn't let Roxas pull away too far from him this time, and let the blonde figure himself out. He was pleased to feel Roxas' body press against him and meet him back for more. He cupped a hand behind the blonde's head, letting his fingers slide idly through his downy hair.

Roxas reciprocated by touching a hand to the redhead's cheek. He pulled away from Axel's lips and slid his fingers over his pale skin. He ran a thumb over his high cheek bones, and over a brow. Axel smiled and reveled in the feeling of Roxas discovering his face for the first time. When the blonde ran out of things to find, Axel leaned forward and brushed his lips over Roxas' jaw line and down as much of his neck as he could get to. Roxas' breath hitched a little. Axel gave the blonde's side a reassuring (or so he hoped) squeeze.

Roxas nudged Axel away from his neck and moved their faces together again. He pressed their mouths together and probed Axel's lips with the lightest touch of his tongue. The redhead accepted him readily and swept his own tongue inside Roxas' lips. The blonde felt their positions start to shift as Axel kept them pressed together. Axel's hand stayed strong against the blonde's back as he slowly slid his small frame underneath his own. Roxas wrapped his arms around the other boy's neck as he broke their fervent kissing. The blonde watched as Axel's eyes searched his face for something.

"Is this okay…?" Axel said in the barest whisper. Roxas nodded a little and Axel took him at his word. He descended on Roxas' neck and dropped tantalizing kisses across his skin, occasionally pulling a little with his lips but never enough to leave a mark. He braced himself on one arm and felt his wrist protest some but promptly ignored it as he slid the other hand under Roxas' shirt. The blonde panted a little and felt his chest tighten as Axel's fingers brushed over his firm nipples.

Axel pushed the shirt up and Roxas pulled it over his head without question and tossed it away. The redhead slid an arm under Roxas and lifted him some to pull his nipple in between his teeth; the other hand slid down the boy's frame and caressed his thigh. Roxas started to pull on Axel's shirt, desperate for something to cling to so his mind could process all the new feelings. Axel let him down and hauled the fabric over his head and flicked his hair back, giving the blonde a hungry look like he had been waiting for this for a long time. Before Axel could lower himself again, Roxas' hands shot up and caressed his chest like he had his face. The blonde ran his fingers over every dip and every crevice making Axel shiver under his touch.

Roxas leaned back and pulled Axel down with him. The redhead assumed his position on Roxas' torso and flicked his tongue over the flaxen skin causing Roxas' abdomen to tighten and flex. The sudden increase in lines for Axel to explore gave him a thrill and he ran a hand over the muscles, watching Roxas' face pant with want. He slid his hand lower, running his thumb along the trail of hair that led from the blonde's navel. He kept his gaze on the other boy's face as he neared the tops of his pants. Roxas shifted to prop himself up on his elbows and tried to give Axel his bravest face.

Axel locked his eyes with Roxas' as he carefully pulled the blonde's belt open. There was a touch of fear in the blue orbs and Axel froze. Roxas took a deep breath before reaching down and pulling the belt from around his waist and tossing it aside.

"I'm okay," Roxas said in a hushed voice. Axel nodded and pulled at the button and zipper. The redhead reconsidered their positioning for a moment and decided he wanted to be by Roxas' face. He reworked their bodies so that he knelt between Roxas' legs and he could lean over the blonde. Roxas was more than a little confused at the sudden change of dynamic but quickly understood when he looked down his body and saw himself pressed up against Axel's hips. The sight was more intense than simply having Axel's face there and he looked up to the other's glittering jade eyes for confirmation.

Axel slid a finger down the line of Roxas' face, neck and chest before splaying his hand across his stomach and into the blonde's pants. Roxas watched with wide eyes as Axel gently tugged his throbbing length into the open air. Seeing himself in such a compromising position and exposed to the redhead made Roxas flush and feel close to shameful. He blushed wildly, closed his eyes and looked away half expecting Axel to get angry with him and degrade him in some way. His heart leapt to his throat and he started to struggle with himself mentally. The fear of being taken advantage of in this instance by a person he trusted was welling up and springing fourth in the form of tears.

Axel stopped what he was doing immediately and took Roxas' face in his hands. He wiped the tears away with his thumbs as best he could and waited for him to open his eyes. Once Roxas could register that he wasn't in any danger, he slid his lids open and took in Axel's worried face. The redhead folded his legs under himself and pulled Roxas into his lap, the blonde's legs wrapping around his waist tightly. After steadying himself, Roxas started to wipe at his cheeks, letting Axel hold him upright by way of interlaced fingers in the small of his back. The smaller boy's pants had slid forward on his hips and bunched in the front, hiding his shame away. Roxas leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Axel's.

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

"Don't be. I told you I wouldn't force you."

"I know you won't. I'm just having a hard time imagining this scenario without force and pain and… stuff."

"Okay. I understand," he smiled reassuringly, "you're allowed to have anxiety about some things too, you know. I don't have to be the only one."

Roxas laughed under his breath as a stray tear streamed down his face, "okay."

"What can I do to help you be more comfortable with me?"

"I'm not sure."

"Okay well… what did I do that triggered your anxiety? Can you remember?" Axel remembered these words from the first time he had met Vexen, though the circumstances were completely different. Roxas' face blanked as he replayed the scene back to himself.

"When you moved above me and I couldn't see your face anymore. It was like your hands and your body were separate from you and you just turned into a person, versus Axel. Does that make sense?"

"Like you didn't have that constant reassurance anymore that it was me?"

"Yes."

"Well if all you wanted was to see my gorgeous face, you should've said something," Axel quipped with a wide grin. Roxas glared at him. "Don't be like that. I'll remember for next time."

Roxas blushed a little and fiddled with his finger. "Can next time be soon?" he asked sheepishly. Before he could make himself sound like a lustful whore he closed his mouth tightly and looked away from Axel's toothy beam.

"I think we should go upstairs if we're going to try again," Axel answered quietly and kissed Roxas on the cheek. The blonde nodded in agreement.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Axel knew they wouldn't make it upstairs. His plan was to let Roxas think a little before they went forward. He hoped that in the time it took them to get from the lower level of the manor all the way up to bedroom was enough time for Roxas to think past his hormones and actually consider his fear and _then_ decide if he was okay. Plus, there wasn't anything to lube up with in the game room and Axel wasn't trying to kill the blonde. Regardless, he knew they would get sidetracked. He knew it as soon as the first interruption met them at the door. Marluxia jumped and put and hand to his chest to catch his breath when Roxas flung the door open a little too fast.

"Ohmygoddon'tdothat!" Marluxia gasped. It took him a minute to slow his breathing before speaking again. "I was just coming to find you two. Roxas, your father is here to see you."

"My father? What does he want?" Roxas tried to say without sounding completely dejected.

"He's come to check up on you and see if you're okay."

"Send him to my study."

"Can do," and with that the man left. Roxas turned to the redhead.

"I'm sorry, again."

Axel smiled and planted a kiss of his forehead. "I saw this coming already. Don't worry about it, I'm going to go shower."

***

Roxas was trying his best to think of dead kittens versus Axel wet and naked. Pearl wasn't helping matters as the obviously living animal walked herself across the papers on his desk and rubbed along his chin. Luxord sat across from him in the wingback chair.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," the man said flatly. "I should have tried to send you home once I saw Riku," Luxord leaned forward to balance his elbows on his knees and hold his face in his hands. He shook his head, "I've failed you as a father in more ways than you know."

"No one saw it coming. You don't have to blame yourself."

"It's not this particular instance, Rox, it's everything. I went right along with everyone else when they would say that you and Riku were adorable together. I ignored all the warning signs and took it upon myself to ruin my marriage and your only chance at normalcy."

Roxas calmly peeled Pearl off his documents and held her in his lap. "You're over analyzing the situation. There isn't any need to dredge up past instances in order to beat yourself up over the new ones."

"Why don't you hate me?"

"Pardon?"

"You should hate me for leaving you."

"That's true. I probably should. But you were never a bad parent to me when you were around. Towards the end it was a little scarce but you never abused me, you never belittled me, and you supported me whenever I would want to try new things. My mother on the other hand, did not. I had to conform to her wants versus just being myself. When you were together it wasn't so bad since you both balanced each other out but when you left me with her, it turned sour, that's probably the only thing I could hate you for but even then I can't bring myself to do it."

"You've thought about this."

"I have. I've come to terms with what my life is, save for some new developments. The past is the past. I suggest you work on doing the same thing."

"I still love your mother, you know."

"You're allowed to. I'm not the one to be talking about that with though. She'll be home tomorrow; you can talk to her yourself."

Luxord looked at his son and how much he had grown up without him. For many years he tried his best to put everything behind him but recent events made him begin to think of what a failure he had been to his only boy. Roxas tried his best to give his father a reassuring smile but Luxord didn't buy into it. There was still one glaring problem that he needed to address and after a long pause he spoke, slowly and carefully.

"I've lost my home, Roxas." The blonde quirked a brow at him. "Everything I had, I got with money borrowed from Xemnas and his family. He took it all back, even my job, I have nothing."

Roxas' jaw tensed as he ground his teeth together in angry thought. He rolled his chair to a part of his desk he rarely bothered with. He stuffed a hand under the desk to click a hidden false bottom underneath the thick wood. A key dropped into his hand. He used it to unlock a drawer and pulled out a checkbook. "How much do you need?" he asked simply.

"Wh—just like that? I was only going to ask for a room in the hotel."

"You can stay there or you can stay here. Or, I can write you a check and you can use it for whatever. It's your choice." Luxord sat back in his chair and marveled at Roxas' generosity. He knew his used to be father-in-law would have never given the poor man the time of day let alone try to give him his life back, which is why he had to turn to other people to find his means in the first place.

"I could stay here?"

"If you wanted, I don't mind."

"After everything I've done to you? Or haven't done for you? What about your mother?"

"Mother doesn't have a say anymore. But she does live here and you would have to deal with that, but if you were going to try and fix things anyway I don't see why this would be a problem. I've already said that the past is the past, so don't bother trying to use that against yourself."

"I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything then. I'll have Xigbar get you situated."

"I have to admit that this is a little awkward for me. A son isn't supposed to be able to do this for his father until the man is in his eighties, or so I've always believed."

"I agree. But the circumstances are what they are. We can't change it so we must move forward. If you want to start over, I'm willing to do that with you."

"Thank you, Roxas."

"You're welcome."

***

Axel was squeezing the water out of his hair with a towel when he came out of the bathroom to find Roxas sitting on his bed neatly. The blonde looked troubled. "What happened?" Axel asked.

"My father is going to stay with us for a while."

"Why…?"

"Because everything he owned apparently he got from Xemnas and the bastard took it all away."

"Whoa. I assume you feel this is somehow your fault?"

Roxas crossed his arms and furrowed his brows. "I feel guilty, yes. When Xemnas and I were left alone together at the casino, he immediately started to propose a partnership. I refused, and that's when everything went haywire. This is probably a result of all of that."

"I didn't know that. What about your mom? And Namine?"

"Namine probably wouldn't care. Neither of us had a bad relationship with him before he left but my mother is a different story."

"Think she'll flip a shit?"

"I know she will. But she has no say anymore. Everything is mine."

"Well if it makes you feel any better, I think it's a good thing. You guys can start over."

"I agree. I'm glad you feel the same way. I only wish it hadn't taken World War Three to happen before he decided he wanted to be more involved with my life."

"I see what you mean. But I would kill to have a second chance with my dad, so I consider this a very fortunate thing."

"When you say it like that, it's hard to argue."

"Which room will he be staying in?"

"Down the hall from mine, between me and my mother."

"Ooo, scary."

"I expect a lot of sleepless nights."

"If they keep you up you know where I am," Axel said with a smile and slid across his comforter to lie on his stomach. Roxas shifted around and lay his head on the redhead's back, reaching up to play with a lock of damp hair. "Does your dad have the same opinions on gay people that your mom has?"

"I'm not sure. He didn't like me being around Riku, but then again I'm not sure if it was because of the things we did together or if it was just Riku. Xemnas probably had something to do with that as well."

"Oh. Well at least he gave a damn, which is more than we can say about the other half of your parental unit."

"Oh my mother cared. She cared that Riku's family had money, that's the only reason she didn't stop anything."

"That's awful."

"I agree."

"I want to ask you something but I don't want you to get mad with me," Axel said quietly.

"I'll try my best not to."

"Were you ever happy with Riku?"

Roxas stopped playing with Axel's hair and shifted uncomfortably. He thought about his words carefully before speaking. "We started out as friends. He, Sora, and I were always together. We actually went to school together until eighth grade when Riku started to act up and got himself expelled from the Academy. After about six months at Hollow High he started to get darker and more hateful. That's when everything went south. So to answer your question, yes, I was happy with him for a time."

"Okay."

"Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering if Riku was always that fucked in the head."

"Something happened to him, I'm sure. He doesn't even look like the same person anymore to me. But enough about him, I don't want to think about that."

"Fair enough," Axel said with a small shrug. Roxas went back to playing with his hair, a sign that he wasn't upset. The blonde listened to Axel's breathing and noted that it sounded different coming from his back that from his chest. The redhead smiled at Roxas' antics and closed his eyes. After a long moment of silence, there was a knock on the door. Roxas sat up and Axel rolled over. The door was carefully shoved open and Demyx peeked inside.

"Hey you two, dinner's ready if you're not to busy."

***

Namine didn't come for dinner. The air was tense but the setting was casual. Demyx, Zexion, Xigbar and Marluxia joined them at the table with Luxord and everyone made small talk with the father, asking how he had been. Luxord tried his best to be calm but Axel could tell he was feeling incredibly awkward. He didn't blame the man either. Once they all had run out of simple questions to bombard him with Roxas spoke.

"Do you still play?"

"Every now and again, why? Did you want to?"

"I do, I've gotten much better."

Luxord smiled, "I would hope so, it's been many years and if you still played like you were six, I would be really concerned."

"Don't let him fool you, he's awful," Demyx added, teasingly. Axel was confused. He didn't have any idea what they were talking about but he didn't get the chance to ask because Roxas and Luxord left the table together, leaving the rest of them to the dishes.

Shortly after they began clearing the flatware, Axel could hear a piano plink to life as someone tested it out. He could hear the echo of light conversation waft in through the open door as well as a loud shuffle of papers. Axel must have been very obvious about his curiosity because Xigbar nudged him and nodded towards the door like '_go see, we got this._' Axel made his way quietly down the hall and towards the music room. He peeked around the open doors and was envious of the sight. Luxord sat behind the piano flipping a couple sheets of music around trying to get them all going the correct way and in the right order. Roxas was running a cake of rosin over his bow strings.

"I think I'm missing a page," Luxord said quietly, his brows furrowed in the same fashion that Roxas tended to use. "Wait never mind, I got it." Roxas looked over the man's shoulder to confirm before fiddling with his music on his stand. He had retrieved his glasses and pushed them on his nose. Axel's heart almost burst when he saw Luxord pull out a pair of reading glasses of his own and put them on as well; the scene was something he felt he should take a picture of and send it to Hallmark.

Roxas looked over at his shoulder to Luxord who nodded before playing a slow introduction to was Axel immediately recognized as _Jesu Joy of Mans Desiring_. Roxas joined at just the right time and their combined sounds was enough to bring a smile to Axel's face so strong that hurt his cheeks. He was happy for the blonde but he was also reminded of his own father. Once he had passed, Axel and his mother had stopped going to church. He almost missed the Christmas Choir.

Upstairs, there was a slamming of a door before running footsteps echoed across the marble and Namine started to clamor down the stairs. She ran full speed into music room, ignoring Axel's peeping. She stopped, panting from her effort when she saw the pair. Roxas' eyes flicked to her before returning to his music. Luxord didn't move his gaze.

"Dad!" Namine yelled and they both stopped, which made Axel want to punch the girl for making the music go away. She ran over to Luxord and threw her arms around his neck. He hugged her back.

"Hey baby girl," he said into her hair.

"Why are you here?" Namine asked.

"I'm going to be staying here for a while."

"…How does mom feel about that?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Everything is already settled, don't worry about mother," Roxas added.

Namine looked a little confused but shrugged it off. "Can I play?"

"I don't see why not. Have you kept up with it?" Luxord asked.

"Just like Roxas has," she said, smiling. Namine moved over to a cabinet and shuffled around inside before producing a small case and a handful of music. She pulled a stand across the room to the piano and started to put together a flute. Axel wasn't sure he could watch the family moment anymore. He was not only feeling homesick but he didn't feel like he belonged there. As he made his way outside to have a cigarette, the music started up again but this time with Namine's accompaniment and it pulled at his heartstrings.

***

Four cigarettes and a foggy mind later, Axel was starting to get cold. He couldn't hear the music anymore so it made thinking about nothing a little easier. He watched the leaves blow by and the way the trees swayed in the chilly fall breeze. Even though it was the middle of November he could feel winter coming. He hated snow.

There was a voice near the door before it opened and Luxord came out, already having his hand cupped around a flame and sucking ash. He startled a little when he saw Axel sitting against the building.

"Oh hey Axel," he said.

"How're you?"

"Hm? Oh fine, thanks," Luxord said after an exhale. He looked the redhead over carefully. He didn't have much to say to the boy. After a while of shared awkward silence, Axel stood and made his way to the door. He almost walked into Roxas in the doorway.

"Oh, there you are," the blonde said looking up over his glasses.

"Did you need me?"

"Well yes and no."

"Okaaay…" Axel said with a sly smile. Roxas gave him a smirk before taking his hand and pulling him inside. Luxord watched the display with an unwavering gaze and sighed when the door clicked behind them.

***

"Are you sure you don't want to hang out with your dad more?" Axel asked when they reached Roxas' room. The blonde shook his head.

"If he's serious about being a part of my life, we have time."

"And we don't?"

"That's not what I was getting at. Honestly, I needed to get away. It's a little too much to process for me. I think I'll feel better once my mother gets home and I see her reaction."

"_That_ should be fun," Axel said, settling back on Roxas' bed. Before Roxas could make it to the bed to join him, the phone started to ring. The blonde padded over to the device and picked it up.

"Meadows," he answered. He listened for a short while before speaking again. "That's fine. I don't see a problem with it. Sure, I'll let her know. Thank you again detective," then he hung up.

"Calling for Namine?" Axel asked.

"Yes. Detective Bill or whoever he is wants to speak with her in the morning."

"Good. Maybe he can get something out of her."

"She doesn't seem surprised that Riku is missing," Roxas said, hefting himself onto the bed. Axel moved himself to sit against the pillows. "I'm sure she knows more than she lets on."

"Let's hope so, otherwise we're out of luck until Riku decides he wants to 'play' again," Axel said in a low, discerning voice, almost a growl. Roxas tinkered with his remote for a moment, causing his television to fold down from the ceiling and click on. He cuddled up to Axel and rested his cheek against the other's chest. "So when do you start school again?" Axel asked.

"I'm considering not even bothering with it and testing out."

"If you can do that, more power to you. I was never that smart."

"You're intelligent, don't talk yourself down."

"Eh, I gained most of what I know through experience not necessarily through school.

"Does this go into the whole 'book smarts' versus 'street smarts' debate?"

"Basically," Axel agreed. He sat with Roxas for over and hour watching nonsensical television and cuddling serenely. After a while he started to yawn. Roxas looked up at him.

"Getting tired?"

"I'm not sure if I'm tired or just relaxed," the redhead glanced at the clock, "it's only a little after nine, I shouldn't be tired."

Roxas sat up and looked contemplative. He was trying desperately to not have a fight with himself as he moved around and slung a leg across Axel's thighs, straddling the other boy and leaning forward to stare intently in his eyes. Axel raised a brow questioningly at him, not taking his eyes away.

"What are we doing?" Axel asked trying to fight back a grin.

"Well _I'm_ trying to wake you up. I don't know what you're doing."

"Apparently I'm having a staring contest."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. I think I'll win."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because I play dirty," Axel leaned forward and licked the tip of Roxas' nose causing the blonde's hands to fly up to his face.

"What the_ hell_ was that?"

"Strategy," Axel said with grin, he was pleased with himself. Roxas gave him a half hearted glare which made the redhead laugh.

"I call rematch," Roxas said. Axel accepted and they started again. They both started to laugh at one another before starting again, and again. The fourth game went on longer than the others and Roxas' eyes started to ache. He needed to salvage the situation if he intended to win their little spat so he leaned in closer and rested his forehead against the redhead's and kissed his nose. Axel blinked.

"No fair, that was a foul," Axel said quietly.

"All's fair in love and war."

"That was really corny. I may just have to cut that one off the cob." Roxas started to laugh at Axel's horrible comeback and the redhead smiled wide before putting a hand on the blonde's thigh. Roxas' fit of laughter started to fade away under the touch, he blushed. Axel pushed himself forward and nuzzled his neck, Roxas responded by putting his hands on the other boy's shoulders and closing his eyes.

Axel squeezed the blonde's thigh, causing a light gasp as Roxas' nerve endings sprang to life. The blonde took in a handful of fiery hair and pulled Axel away from his neck, he grunted in response, surprised by Roxas' sudden coarseness. The blonde gave him a sly smile before pushing Axel up to meet his lips. The redhead responded hungrily with his tongue and wrapped his arms around the blonde and pulled him down. Roxas let himself be tugged to lay on Axel but kept a firm hand in his hair.

The redhead slipped a hand under Roxas' shirt and ran his touch up and down his spine. Roxas broke their kiss to shudder some before sitting up and peeling off his shirt, Axel watched the display with glossy eyes. The smaller boy pulled up Axel's shirt and ran his hands over his stomach. Axel pulled the fabric over his head and shivered as Roxas slid his fingers across the lines of his pelvis and came to rest at the button of his pants, watching his face for confirmation. Axel propped himself up on his elbows and watched Roxas' expression go from hot and lustful to nervous and unsure.

Axel poked the blonde in the arm which made him startle. "Hey, don't forget who you're with now," he said gently. Roxas looked at him then and seemed to have a few more thoughts of internal struggle before taking a deep breath and looking at his hands. He tried his best to shove the images of Riku out of his mind and focused on the line of red hair escaping from the seam of Axel's jeans. He felt his face blank and he started to stare into space dimly as unhappy memories replayed through his mind like a smut film. He felt movement as Axel took his hands and pulled him forward.

Roxas bent at the waist and planted his face in the redhead's sternum, not wanting to make eye contact. Axel tried to pull him up farther but the blonde wasn't helping by being dead weight. Roxas shook his head, hiding his face in his pillow of skin. "I can't do this," he said quietly.

"Okay," Axel said.

"Okay? Just okay?"

"Yep."

"You're not disappointed?"

"Well my libido is telling me to tell you to suck it up and bend over, if that's what you want to hear, but that's not what's right," Axel smiled.

"I'm sorry."

"What did I tell you about apologizing too much for stuff that's not your fault?"

"Not my fault? I'm being a horrible prude," Roxas insisted, looking up at the redhead.

"No, you're reacting to trauma."

"Why are you so understanding?"

Axel laughed a little "years of therapy and good parenting are fantastic things in some cases."

"Maybe I should see someone."

"Might help. I know a guy. I actually considered going back to see him since everything went down. The nightmares are really graphic," Axel added with a sheepish scowl.

"We could go together."

"We could. But you might want some one-on-one too." Roxas nodded. Axel bent his legs up causing the smaller boy to slide forward off of his thighs and get to where he could bend down and plant a kiss in his blonde points. Roxas pulled himself up and resettled on Axel's chest.

There was a knock on the door and it opened without any further warning. Namine strode into the room about to begin a sentence when she noticed the two. "What the fuck do you think you're doing!?" she screeched.

Roxas put up a hand to stop her, "none of your business. What do you want?" Roxas turned his face to look at her lazily, trying his best to keep a half-lidded face that would be perceived as being drunk on sex. Namine gaped at him and flicked her eyes to Axel who had half his face buried in Roxas' hair, ignoring her.

"I want to know when all this started! That's what I want!"

Roxas let out a low breathy chuckle that gave Axel goosebumps, "why you introduced us, don't you remember? It was somewhere around there."

Namine's jaw tensed and she started to turn red. She glowered at her brother and his display of whorishness. "This isn't what I intended. You know it wasn't," she said angrily. Roxas shrugged.

"Whatever. You have an appointment to talk to the detectives tomorrow at eleven. Don't be late," Roxas quipped before she had a chance to talk again. Namine took a few minutes to process the information, watching the pair intently. When it appeared she had no intention of leaving any time soon, Axel decided to slide a hand down Roxas' back and into his pants, giving him a firm squeeze. Namine gasped disgustedly, making Axel smile.

"Ugh you have no tact!" she spat.

"You're allowed to leave," Roxas said calmly. When she stomped away towards the door he added "eleven tomorrow, don't forget!" and she slammed the door behind her. Roxas sighed heavily. "I forgot to lock the door, I apologize."

"No worries, I had fun," Axel grinned. He pulled his hand out of Roxas' pants and gave him a pat on the rump. "So what do you think she'll do?"

"Probably rant to my mother. Then they'll rant together a while but they can't do much else. The name calling will probably come back at you though."

"Name calling is something I can deal with."

"I have to admit, the look on her face was priceless. This may be something to our benefit if we're ever bored."

"How evil, Roxas, taunting your family doesn't seem like something you'd do."

"Well now that they can't do anything about it, it makes everything a little easier to enjoy, yes?"

Axel grinned. "Totally."

***

Axel gasped loudly as he shot himself forward and out of his latest nightmare. He panted and put a hand to his face, checking to make sure everything was there. He was coated in a cold sweat. Roxas stirred beside him and rubbed his eyes and sat up.

"What's wrong?" the blonde asked drowsily. He squinted at the clock and saw it was a little past three thirty.

Axel took a deep breath and shook his head, "nothing. Not anymore," he tried his best at a watery smile and shuffled back under the covers. Roxas moved near him and pulled Axel to his chest. The redhead wrapped his arms around the smaller boy and nuzzled under his chin. He closed his eyes and took a soothing breath as Roxas' fingers started combing through his hair, just how he liked.

***

Axel took a deep breath as he tried to relax. Marluxia had yet to become part of his comfort zone. The man was too pink, too happy to see him in nothing but a towel, and too incredibly _gay_ for _anyone_ to be comfortable around. Though, in his defense he had his rose colored hair pulled back in the same fashion he had for Roxas' birthday so it was a comforting thing to be reminded that the man could in fact grow facial hair. He rolled his sleeves up and smiled sweetly at the redhead.

"Ready?"

"Uh… sure," Axel drawled as he lay himself face down on the padded table, making sure his towel was tight.

"So, tell me your troubles," Marluxia quipped as he rubbed his hands together with some oil between them.

Axel fought back the urge to laugh hysterically, "you're not serious. Do I have to rehash?"

"Well no, but I was making small talk. So go ahead, talk to me. Or, I can break out the Barry White and we can get _really_ awkward." Axel started to laugh some but grunted when he felt hands press down on his back. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"So…" Axel stammered. He thought for a minute about what to talk about and he remembered a passing statement he had heard. "Okay, so I have a random question."

"Sure."

"When Roxas and I went to the casino, we had a brief talk with Xemnas about not much. You, Demyx, and Zexion were mentioned, though. Have you all worked for him or something in the past?"

Marluxia smiled, not that Axel could tell, "we were gifts, sort of. We all worked for his family at one point or another and we were sent to this house to work as like… peace offerings? It's a really weird way to put it but that's basically what happened. But, we like it here better than working for Xemnas, so we stayed. I think I like it here the most, the man had nasty feet and he would always make me rub them," he shuddered.

Axel laughed, "I'm sorry for your misfortune."

Marluxia emitted a faux sniffle, "thank you, it was quite the plight. I tried to get him to let give him a pedicure so they wouldn't be quite so terrible but he refused. Apparently he's not a fan of French tips."

Axel was having a hard time laughing with his lungs pressed against the table, "that's the best story I've heard in a while."

"Well it's true! I could give you a pedicure if you want. I'm tired of Namine's toes. Larxene sees some shrill Vietnamese woman so she's a no-go."

"I think I'll pass."

Marluxia huffed, "fine."

He and Axel didn't talk much for the rest of their session together. He did manage to find out that the man had a degree in massage therapy and a cosmetology license, but not much else. When Axel was on his way to get dressed though, Marluxia whipped him in the back of the leg with a towel. The redhead later discovered that he had left a welt.

***

"Well alright Mr. Meadows, tell me about yourself," Vexen said with a professional smile. Roxas shifted uncomfortably in his seat, Axel hadn't mentioned how quickly he could call in for an appointment, the blonde felt completely unprepared.

"Well… my name is Roxas for one. I live with my mother, my sister and suddenly my father. I'm five foot and three inches tall and am head CEO of Clear Meadows Corporations," the said with a careful tone. Vexen's smile widened while he jotted notes down on the pad, Roxas eyed him suspiciously.

"That's all well and good, but not exactly what I meant. Let me rephrase, what are you here for?"

"That's completely different. You should've just asked that in the first place."

"My apologies, I'll be more direct from now on. But the question still stands."

"It's a hard thing for me to talk about," Roxas slumped back in his chair with the intent to disappear.

"We have time. Take all that you need."

The blonde took a deep breath, and thought about his words cautiously, "I…" he paused. He took another breath. "Every intimate situation I've ever experienced had been forced and with pain. Now that I'm away from that particular person and with someone very gentle, it's hard for me to be close with them… in that way," he furrowed his brows with the mental imagery.

"It's a common thing with people who have been abused to have problems with people who don't abuse them. Do you like being told what to do? It doesn't have to be with anything intimate, either."

"I've… never really not done what I was told to do. I don't recall many situations where I made my own decisions. It all just sort of happens."

"Perhaps it's time to take charge of your life and make those decisions for yourself then. I don't know your particular circumstance just yet but maybe you need to work on the bigger picture versus starting off with the smaller details in life, such as intimacy."

With that insight in mind, Vexen and Roxas went over the major part of the blonde's relationship and ultimately his abuse by Riku. They talked well over their allotted appointment time and by the time most everything was said Roxas left with lighter shoulders and a mind full of ideas on how he should run his household. Things were going to change, even if it killed him.

***

For once in his life, Axel could stretch his back and not have it crack and pop in eight places. This, he felt, was fantastic. He had just finished an equally fantastic sandwich and was off to do nothing in particular when he noticed Roxas coming home from his session with Vexen. He met the blonde at the front door with a smile.

"Feeling better, I assume?" Roxas asked with a raised brow.

"Yes. Yes I am."

"Good. So do I," Roxas added with a matching smile.

"Let's go do stuff."

"I can't. My mother will be home any minute; I should probably supervise the inevitable fight."

"Oh…well at least your sister is still at the police station."

"There is that, I suppose."

"I wonder what's taking her so long," Axel quipped.

Roxas shrugged and handed Xigbar his coat. "I happened to notice the weather forecast. Apparently we're in for some snow in the coming week."

"Great…" Axel huffed.

"Not a snow bunny?"

"Not in the least."

"Well good, more for me."

"You play in the snow?"

"I love the snow."

They couldn't continue their small talk any further because a shrill squeal was emitted from outside as Larxene bounded up the stairs and plowed into Roxas, arms ready to suck the life from him. Luxord peeked around the corner of the upstairs hallway, trying to prep himself for the onslaught. Larxene was preoccupied making sure everything was attached to Roxas like it should be when the man walked down the stairs.

Larxene's smile faded as soon as she saw the man. "What are_ you_ doing here?"

"This isn't the place to discuss this, love, come inside."

"Don't talk like this is your house, you smug bastard."

"Mother," Roxas said in a stern tone. "Let's head to my study."

Larxene looked a Luxord then to Roxas and then back to the man. He and his son started walking towards the back of the manor and Xigbar and Axel followed after she did. The door was closed leaving Axel and Xigbar outside. Both of them were beyond curious so they hung around outside catching the occasional snippet of conversation usually followed by Larxene's sharp yelling. It only took all of ten minutes for the woman to stomp out of the room. Axel and Xigbar entered afterward.

"That went well, I thought," Roxas said. Luxord had his face in his hands.

"If you say so," the father answered.

"It could have been much worse. At least she wasn't drunk, which is surprising."

"She's gotten worse since the divorce?"

"Insurmountably worse."

"I'm sorry I left you with that. I'll try my best to make things right again."

"I wish you the best, but I'm steering clear of that minefield," Roxas added.

"I don't blame you. I would too."

Axel was prepared to join the conversation but was distracted by the echo of the front door opening and closing again. He headed for the entry way to see who it was and his heart dropped. Namine had come home and was already talking to her mother. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Axel and gave him a devilish smile. Larxene's eyes flew wide with her daughter's whispering and Axel knew exactly what they were talking about.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"You ungrateful child!" Larxene shrieked. "I give you the entire world and you go and fuck it all up by choosing to be a worthless faggot! Worst yet you pick scum to sleep with, a convict with a criminal record! He smokes for Christ's sake! Is that what you want? His disgusting mouth all over your body? He doesn't have anything to offer you. No home, no money, no future. No money, Roxas!"

"And what exactly does money have to do with anything, mother?" Roxas said peacefully. He sat at his desk with his hands folded on the wood, taking in all the yelling his mother had to offer. He saw this coming. Axel stood in the doorway, watching with a scowl.

"It has to do with everything! Money is the key to the world. You know that. Why do you think I left your father?"

"He left you."

"No, I left him because he was worthless. Not as worthless as you, I might add, at least he isn't a faggot."

"It seems there is a misunderstanding between you two then, I thought you slept around and that's why he left."

"That isn't important! I'm talking about you and your future, Roxas. You can't marry him, you can't have children, there is nothing he can give you that matters! Why won't you understand that?"

"I understand perfectly. You seem to have a skewed perception on what really matters in life, _mother_."

"Damnit Roxas! I wanted grandchildren! Why are you doing this to me? Why are you killing your family with your poor choices? Our bloodline! Think of our name!" Roxas crossed his arms and watched as his mother broke down in hysterical sobs. Axel half-expected Roxas to give in to her like he had when she forced him to drink, but to his surprise the blonde let her run her course. She eventually calmed down enough to speak again. "I bet he killed his mother, Roxas. Is that what you want to see happen? He come into my room late at night and slit my throat too!?"

Axel stared at the woman with wide eyes. "Are you accusing me of killing my own mother?" he asked without making an effort to hide his rage as he stalked across the room.

"That's right you disgusting fuck. I bet you bent her over yourself and took her life away just like you'll do to me if I ever turn my back on you. You took my boy from me, and you'll take me too—" Roxas stopped her tirade with slamming his fist on his desk. The blonde stood and walked across the desk and backhanded his mother across the face. She staggered. Axel couldn't believe what he just saw.

"Leave. Get out of my house," Roxas spat.

"Your house?" Larxene barked a laugh. "You wouldn't have any of this if it weren't for me!"

"You're exactly right. You fucked your chance the day you tried to screw your brother now leave!" Roxas bellowed and pointed at the door. Larxene gaped at the boy. She looked at Axel who didn't move, then back to Roxas. She seemed to think a little before she blushed with anger and stormed out of the room, tears welling up in her electric eyes. When she slammed the door shut, Roxas let out a breath. He turned to Axel, who looked at him with surprised eyes.

"That was…"

"Shameful?"

"I was going to say awesome," Axel said with a smile. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry."

"There you go again with the whole apologizing thing. There's nothing to apologize for."

"My mother is the cause of my shame," Roxas ran a hand through his hair. "But now she's gone. She isn't welcome here anymore."

"What do you think she'll do?"

"I'll wire some money into her account so she isn't completely hopeless but for now, who knows? I'm washing my hands of her."

"Sounds good. What about your sister?"

"What about her? With any luck she'll want to move in with my mother. I don't need her garbage either."

"That sounds okay. They're not exactly my most favorite women, but I feel bad bashing your family, it's not really my place."

"It's hard not to bash them, really," Roxas added. Axel sat in the wingback chair and Roxas climbed into his lap and nestled himself under the redhead's chin and sighed. They stayed like that for a while before there was a knock on the door and Luxord strode in and stopped in front of them.

"I heard what happened."

"I bet it's not the full story," Roxas said from the crook of Axel's neck.

"Probably," Luxord took a seat in the adjacent chair and looked the pair over.

"What's on your mind?" Roxas asked after the man didn't say anything.

"I'm just trying to figure out how I feel about this. I was hoping for grandchildren, myself."

"Please don't start with that, I've already had an earful."

"Well it's true; it sort of puts a damper on things. I suppose I don't have to give either of you the sex talk since no one can get pregnant, though. Not that you're thirteen or anything," Luxord crossed his arms and tapped his foot. "I guess I can't do anything about it, but at least you're happy. That's all I can really ask."

"Thank you."

"Axel, I swear on all that is holy if you turn into another Riku, I'll rip your dick off and feet it to the parrots."

"Yes sir," Axel said with raised eyebrows. He wasn't expecting that one.

"Good," Luxord stood and walked out quietly. When the door closed behind him, Roxas started to laugh.

"What? I thought that was threatening enough," Axel said with furrowed brows.

"The image of my bird trying to eat a penis is hilarious," he responded with a grin.

"I don't think so at all," Axel was disturbed by that notion which made Roxas laugh all the more.

***

"So let me get this straight, you chose your gross fag friend over your own mother?"

"He isn't gross, Namine," Roxas said, folding his arms.

"He is so! He has _tattoos_ on his _face_, Roxxy!" she squeaked.

"So?"

"So!? How are you going to go to public showcases with him next to you? He'll look like a freak!"

"I beg to differ, I thought he cleaned up fine on my birthday."

"That was… that was different!" she huffed. Roxas smiled at the little victory. "At least when you and Riku were ass buddies he had something to offer to get everyone's mind off how disgusting it is."

"Such as?"

"Uh like a name that meant something, money, and an incredibly hot dad."

"…an 'incredibly hot dad'?"

"Yeah! Haven't you _seen_ Xemnas? The man is gorgeous," she swooned.

"I'm sorry I never noticed? I'm not one for the over forty set, thanks."

Namine sighed "you never wondered why mom slept with him? Come on Roxas the man is amazing!"

"I'm not going to continue this conversation anymore. It's deplorable."

"Oh and fucking a clown isn't deplorable?"

"Axel isn't a clown," Roxas glared at her.

"Could've fooled me. When it snows I bet he'll look like a giant used tampon," she giggled.

"Ugh! You're so revolting! I was only up here to check and see if you heard about mother but god! That's ghastly!" Roxas said with a look of sheer horror. Namine laughed at him as he shut the door behind him and headed for Axel's room.

"A used tampon?" Axel reached up to touch his hair. "It's not _that _bad is it? Maybe I should dye it."

"Don't. I like it," Roxas said, still trying to push the mental images of his sister's tampons out of his head. His visual display of disgruntled thinking made it hard for Axel to believe him.

"I don't believe you," he said with a disheartened face. He held a chunk of hair in front of him and squinted at the color before letting it fall back behind his head again. He had never been self conscious about his hair but he also never listened to other people's opinions before as well, what else did they have to say? He walked over to his terrarium and retrieved Robert E. Lee from the plastic tank and sat on the floor to watch him scuttle around. The crab was having a rough go over the plush carpet.

Roxas sprawled himself on the floor so his face was level with the ground and watched the creature move about. "They are so strange looking."

"Yeah…" Axel sighed.

"Are you still worried about what Namine said?"

"I dunno. It makes me wonder what other people think; I never considered it a problem."

"It_ isn't_ a problem, what_ is_ a problem is that Namine thinks Xemnas is attractive," Roxas stuck a finger in front of Robert E. Lee and watched him haul himself over it and continue forth on his grand journey across the fibers.

"I agree that's really bad. You think she is after Xemnas and not Riku?"

Roxas planted his face into the carpeting, "don't say that. You're making me nauseated."

"Riku did say his dad likes her more than he does."

"_Please_! Stop. That's horrid."

"I know, but it is a possibility. You never asked her about her visit with the police, either."

"She scared me away before I could get to it."

"Its times like those I'm glad I'm an only child."

"I'm envious."

***

A week flew by before the snow started to fall. Roxas decided he should probably get some work done and started to spend part of his days holed up in his office at his computer leaving Axel to his own devices. The redhead started to work with the other three men again and was quickly following the same steady routine he had set up for himself before. Larxene had moved out and took up residence in a brownstone in the city, but Namine refused to go with her and Luxord settled in. No one had heard from Riku or anything affiliated with him, either.

The police trail ran cold after Namine couldn't add anything useful for them to go with. Couldn't or wouldn't? Axel didn't know so he chose not to think about it. He was happy to hear that Roxas had scheduled a date to where he could attempt to test out of his classes and graduate early, since it would give them more time to spend together. The blonde had also gone back to see Vexen twice since his first appointment, which was also good.

The snow started a few days before Thanksgiving and Demyx was in a frenzy trying to figure out a menu for the up and coming dinner party Roxas had sprung on him. Marluxia and Zexion tried their best to help the sandy blonde but they were of little solace.

"Why did he do this to me Axel? What did I do to him?" Demyx whined.

"He didn't think about it to the last minute, he said. He said he was sorry," the redhead offered, but it only made Demyx pout more. "What do you want me to do? I'll help with what I can."

"Just stuff a damn turkey and dump a can of cranberries in a bowl and stick a fork in it," Xigbar said gruffly.

"You're not helping! If you're so quick to tease me then maybe you can do something useful," Demyx said.

"Fine, I'll cook the dinner. You sit on your duff and watch."

"No! I cook. It's what I do!"

"I thought you were the music guy."

"N—well yes that too," Demyx said with a smile. Axel noted his quick change in temper. Xigbar laughed.

"Just do something traditional, it'll be fine."

"But tradition is boooring."

"Well I guess I'm just a boring guy then."

"I'll say," Marluxia added. Xigbar glared at him. Zexion smirked. Axel looked out the window with a sour expression. There wasn't a lot of it but there was snow on the ground and it wasn't even Thanksgiving yet which made him angry. He felt that there should only be snow on the ground the two days before Christmas through until two days after New Years. Other than that, he could do without.

Roxas came through the door just as Axel was thinking of taking a bazooka to the fluttering flakes. The blonde went directly to the refrigerator and shuffled around and produced a bottle of tea. He was about to leave again when he stopped in front of Axel and took in his face.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Sky dandruff."

"Sky dan—oh, the snow? Get over it because once it gets deep enough we're going outside."

"Don't make me, please."

"Too bad," and with that, Roxas left. Demyx and Xigbar sat around a pad of paper making a list of things to buy and Marluxia and Zexion left to make the rounds. Axel eyed the pile of dishes in the sink before rolling up his sleeves and getting to work. Halfway through the pile, Namine came into the kitchen looking for Roxas.

"I wanted to ask him if it was okay if mom came and brought her new boyfriend," she asked Xigbar. The older man shrugged.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Your dad probably wouldn't like it, either," he responded.

"But it's Thanksgiving. It would be awful to not have mom there…" Namine whined, similar to how Demyx did.

"He went back to his study, go ask him yourself."

Namine sighed, "fine."

***

"Are you sure you'll be warm enough?" Roxas asked. Axel wasn't wearing a formal winter coat but instead opted for flexible layers and a scarf, he nodded.

"I've always had good body heat. I'll be fine. Plus, if I get too cold it's more an excuse to whine at you to come inside so I don't have to be out in this bullshit."

"You're only making it harder on yourself, just relax and humor me," the blonde said. Axel was pulling on his gloves when he opened the door and stepped outside. A blizzard had rolled through just enough to dump a foot of snow and leave so Demyx's plans weren't completely ruined. Alabaster followed the boys out and jumped around Roxas and his ski jacket.

"You look like a blue marshmallow," Axel noted, lighting a cigarette.

"Don't knock it until you try it, this coat is amazing," he said, picking up a handful of white to throw at the dog. Alabaster jumped and tried to catch it in his mouth but it exploded before he could close his jowls around it. Axel watched Roxas mess with the dog some before he started to pack together snowballs and eyed Axel with a sly smile.

"Don't even do it, I swear to god Roxas."

"You're so cranky today."

"I _hate_ snow."

"I heard you the first fifty thousand times you told me," he readied his arm like he was going to throw one causing the redhead to glare at him. Xigbar came outside and observed the activity before lighting up.

"Good, stand in front of me," Axel demanded. Xigbar quirked a brow and moved to be Axel's shield. The older man watched Roxas flit around in the powder and give him a few subtle signals. Xigbar moved aside and before Axel had time to react a snowball connected with his chest. He heaved a heavy sigh and snuffed out his cigarette and picked up a clump of snow.

The redhead marched over to Roxas and smiled at him pleasantly. The blonde smiled back. Axel had to admit that the boy was awfully cute with the snow collecting in his hair and giving him a particularly youthful sparkle, but regardless of how cute he was Roxas had declared war. Axel upended the clump into Roxas' hair calmly before heading back to light up again. He saw Xigbar wince just as a heavy weight slammed into the small of his back and knocking him down face first into the cold.

Roxas sat on Axel, happily. "I'm glad you joined me." Axel brought his face up from the snow and shook some from his hair. He looked over his shoulder at the blonde and sent him a harsh glare.

"That was uncalled for," he huffed.

"But it was satisfying for me, so I'm good."

"I thought you weren't supposed to run."

"Jumping is in the rules. I'll admit that it wasn't as pain free as I wanted it to be, but it was still satisfying."

"I'm going inside."

"Don't get angry. I'm sorry."

"No you're not."

"I know but I don't want you to be mad at me."

"Well consider me frustrated."

Roxas stood and offered a hand to the redhead. Axel rolled over and gave him a scrutinizing gaze before grabbing the offered hand and giving a firm yank, causing the blonde to fall on him. Axel grabbed a handful of snow and shoved it into his pillowy jacket causing a surprised yelp. He laughed as Roxas shook the snow from himself. The blonde glared at him before cupping his hands together and flinging a wad into the other's face.

"Okay okay, enough," Axel said wiping his face clean; he was absolutely covered in the powder. "I'm done." When Axel opened his eyes again he startled because Roxas's face was all of a sudden in his.

"I see. Thank you for humoring me. Let's go warm up," the blonde smiled pleasantly and kissed his nose before standing and making his way to the door. Xigbar had already left them. Axel brushed off most of the snow from himself before following. Alabaster wasn't following them so Roxas had to go track the animal down and tug him towards the door. By the time they were close to the entrance, Axel had packed another ball together and flung it at the blonde hitting him in the shoulder. Roxas glared at him as he pushed the beast through the door and closed him inside.

"Now we're even," Axel said with a toothy grin.

"Oh yeah? You think so?"

"I do."

"I refuse to believe that," Roxas said leaning in close to the redhead and giving the boy his best sultry face. Axel quirked a brow and gave him a questioning look, trying to ignore his goosebumps. The blonde pressed himself up against Axel and wrapped his arms around his waist. Axel hugged him back for a short while and he had a feeling something was fishy when Roxas started to fiddle with the back of his shirt. All of a sudden snow covered gloves were mashed into his skin and Roxas started to laugh.

"Oh you know what? Fuck off you little sneak!" Axel yelled as he flailed away from the blonde. Roxas simply smiled innocently and went inside. When Axel was able to regain his senses, he headed inside to see Roxas climbing on Xigbar's back and the older man took off running down the hall, the two of them laughing together. "Oh not fair!" Axel cried after them. He ran after them, following all the way to Roxas' study.

"Don't kill me!" Roxas cried through his laughing, wiping at his eyes. He had retrieved a box from his desk and shoved it in Axel's hands when the redhead made it inside. Axel glared at him suspiciously.

"I don't trust you any more," he panted. He eyed the box, it was wrapped orange paper with little turkeys on it with pilgrim hats.

"Don't be like that. Just open it."

"How do I know it's not more snow?" Axel spat as he started to peel apart the paper.

"Because there wasn't any snow a week ago when I got it," Roxas retorted.

Axel smiled when he opened the box to find a new Blackberry, "thanks Roxas."

"You're welcome. I had to get a new one too."

"Did you really have to torture me before you gave it to me though?"

"Not at all," Roxas smiled.

"_Fantastic_."

***

Once again Axel found himself stuffed into an uncomfortable dress shirt with his hair lying flat, and make-up smeared on his cheeks. He was sitting in a chair in Marluxia's bathroom as the other man ran his fingers through the beaten locks. The touch wasn't as comforting as he would've liked it to be but it still made him want to take a nap. Marluxia scratched at his goatee in thought.

"Can I braid it?"

"Do whatever you want, I don't care."

"Okay then let me get some more rubber bands and we'll put you in pigtails to look like Pam Anderson in her early movies."

"Okay, no," Axel glared. Marluxia smiled sweetly at him before sectioning off chunks of red and folding them around into a neat yet overly complex braid. A little hairspray and a coughing fit later and Axel was set free to mill about before people started to show up. Demyx was having a meltdown in the kitchen when he came in.

"Augh! I'm totally not ready for this!" he whined. Xigbar gave him a pat on the back and went to check on the ovens; Axel saw that Marluxia had gotten to the older man's hair as well. Namine came in shortly after Axel had.

"How do I look gentlemen?" she said with a giggle and a twirl of her pumpkin colored dress. She wasn't as overly glamorous as she was for her brother's birthday but she looked pretty enough. Demyx immediately perked up and went to hug her.

"You're so cute!" he squeaked.

"I know I am!" she agreed gleefully. Axel wanted to gag at their display. Instead he took a cube of cheese off a tray and popped it in his mouth. "Do you think mom's new boyfriend will be hot?" she said curiously, Demyx let her go and contemplated with her.

"I dunno. I never really thought about it," he added. "She does have fantastic taste when it comes to looks anyway. You're dad isn't half bad."

"Ew Demmy!" Namine whined and swatted at him, Demyx grinned and they had a small slap fight before Namine started to giggle with him. Axel rolled his eyes and left them to go figure out something to do. The game room was open for the party and Zexion was prepping the bar. Axel decided to help him wipe the counters and retrieve the pool cues and balls. The video games had been tucked away for a more formal setting but Axel noted that the air hockey and foosball were still out. Roxas eventually came in and set a box of cigars on the bar.

"Are we letting them smoke inside this year?" Zexion asked.

"I think so," the blonde responded. He spotted Axel and headed over. "I like your braid. It's… difficult looking."

"I have no talent for that sort of stuff. You have Marluxia to thank for this little ditty," he grinned.

"I'll have to remember to say something," the blonde said with a small smile. "Do you have a minute? I want your opinion on something."

"Sure," Axel responded and followed Roxas up into his room. The blonde sat him down and disappeared in his closet for a moment before coming back with a large flat box. He handed it over and Axel opened it to find several sets of cufflinks with matching watches and tie clips in varying types of metals lying neatly on red velvet. He quirked a brow and wondered how much each set must have cost. Roxas was smoothing an imaginary wrinkle out of his suit jacket, looking himself over in the mirror.

"Which set do you think matches this jacket? Don't worry about the clip; I'm not wearing a tie."

"Uuh…" Axel stammered. He had absolutely no idea. It took him a moment to register the scenario before looking over the glittering objects again and looking Roxas over in his suit. He picked up a silver cufflink and squinted at the detail in the tiny thing. He shrugged and pointed the set out to Roxas who didn't argue and started to fasten them to his sleeves, once the watch was clicked into place he did another once over in the mirror and nodded.

"Well?"

"Very handsome," Axel said with a smile, deliberately avoiding the 'c' word. Roxas smirked and took the box from the redhead and set it aside before resting his forearms on his shoulders, reaching behind him to idly play with the braid. Axel reached up and pulled the blonde's face to his for a tender kiss.

"Ready?" Roxas asked.

"Yep."

***

The amount of people that showed up for the event was more than who was there for Roxas' birthday. Perhaps it was because this was for a holiday versus the beginning of a business change, but Axel noted that there were children amongst the crowd this time. Demyx manned the buffet and Xigbar, Marluxia and the redhead were meant to mingle and ask if anyone wanted anything. Zexion stood behind the bar looking complacent. Roxas milled about and laughed at unfunny jokes with his employees and Namine flitted around looking cute and making small talk. Luxord was the topic of many a discussion and made most of the women laugh at his wit but was quick to be formal with the men if they happened to wander by. Axel also spotted him doing card tricks for some of the younger kids, to keep them occupied.

Namine fluttered across the room to whisper something to Roxas who motioned to Axel to follow him. They were met in the entryway by Larxene and her date.

"Holy shit," Axel said under his breath when he saw who had Larxene on his arm. Roxas scowled and Namine looked a little worried.

"Welcome to my home, Xemnas," Roxas greeted with a light sneer, trying his best to be professional.

"Oh well the pleasure is all mine, I thank you for allowing me to accompany your enchanting mother," he said with a curt smile. Larxene giggled and swooned, making Axel's stomach churn.

"Please enjoy yourself," Roxas said and the trio watched the couple walk towards the dining hall. Roxas immediately turned to Namine and started to yell at her in a loud whisper. "What the hell is he doing here!?"

"I didn't know! I swear I didn't!" Namine said in equally hushed screaming.

"Are you just going to invite everyone I hate into this house or do I need to kick you out too?" Roxas ran an angry hand through his hair.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Roxxy! Mom didn't say anything about him! She just insisted I get you to invite them!"

"Fuck!" Roxas said, a little louder than he should have. No one important was around to hear it though. "You better make sure nothing goes wrong Namine, or so help me you'll be out of here too," he threatened. Namine nodded solemnly before following after her mother and Xemnas. Roxas turned to Axel, worry threaded through his brow. "Is she going to invite Riku and Sora to Christmas? Why did I let her invite my mother!?"

"Calm down. I don't think Xemnas is going to do anything," Axel whispered.

"That's what he wants us to think I'm sure."

"Well we don't have any evidence he knew about what happened with us so we can't even call the police on him. So let's just try and get everything to go smoothly," Axel looked around to make sure no one would see before planting a kiss on the blonde's lips. Roxas sighed and nodded. He pulled out his Blackberry and started to type away a message to let his staff know that Xemnas was in the building.

***

Larxene was tanked, as usual. Xemnas seemed to keep her on a short leash throughout the evening though so it wasn't a disaster. She clung to him helplessly like he was some terrific drug that she couldn't get enough of and cooed over everything he said. Roxas tried his best to ignore them, but it was difficult. He and Luxord stood off to the side together.

"Seems she's moved on," Luxord said, watching the show.

"I doubt that. She'll be back," Roxas quipped. "She always comes back. When she breaks up with someone she usually gets so drunk she believes she's still married to you, so there is some hope."

"Oh yeah? That should be comforting but it isn't."

"That's understandable," Roxas agreed.

Axel was making his rounds and his path was about to collide with the happy couple. Larxene spotted him and smiled wide, the redhead tried his best to reciprocate her drunken sentiment. Xemnas sat the woman on his chair and walked casually over to Axel.

"I would like a glass of wine; white of any sort should be fine, if you'd be so kind."

Axel hesitated telling the man off and simply nodded in order to keep the words cooped up. He met up with Zexion and retrieved a glass and was about to head back over to Xemnas when he noticed Larxene straddling him and pressing their mouths together. A quiet murmur of conversation was emitted from the surrounding crowd and Axel walked over and cleared his throat loudly to get them to break apart. Xemnas pushed the woman away and took the glass from the redhead and nodded his thanks. Namine immediately intercepted her mother and got her distracted with something else.

Axel made his way to stand next to Roxas. The blonde was rubbing his forehead with embarrassment and Axel patted his shoulder briefly. Luxord watched Larxene carefully before heading off to talk with the woman. The pair stood their ground against the far wall and watched the very brave man make his way to his ex-wife. Larxene was happy to see him, surprisingly enough and threw her arms around his neck in a hug and kissed his cheek. Namine looked puzzled and stepped aside. Xemnas hadn't noticed yet.

Luxord peeled the woman off of him and tried to have some civil conversation with her, even with the drunkenness. She smiled and obliged him peacefully for a time until she decided she would rather steal him away. Suddenly she reached up and cupped the back of Luxord's neck and pulled them together in a bruising kiss. There were gasps from the crowd and Roxas immediately moved to get in between them. Xemnas was aware of the scene now, and was on his feet quickly heading in the same direction. He got there before Roxas and pulled Luxord off of Larxene and promptly punched the man in the mouth. Namine squealed, causing the crowd to spread away.

"Watch yourself, sir," Xemnas spat at the other man. "She isn't yours any longer. I suggest you keep your hands to yourself."

"You obviously don't know how to deal with her if you let her go around grabbing on other men!" Luxord barked, wiping blood off his busted lip. Larxene gasped and ran over to her ex-husband and held his face in her hands and looked him over carefully, with concern in her eyes. Xemnas glowered at the pair and grabbed the woman's wrist and tugged her to him and she slammed into his chest with an audible '_ompfh_.'

Roxas stopped next to them, "I suggest all three of you take it outside and away from my guests," he warned. The two men glared at each other before looking at Roxas. Luxord was the first to weave his way through the crowd; Larxene pushed away from Xemnas and ran after him. The silver haired man simply stood and gaped at the pair. Namine left soon after followed by her brother and Axel.

"I'm so sorry, baby," Larxene cooed over Luxord who was sitting on the marble step. She had a handkerchief in her hand and was dabbing at his lip.

"It wasn't your fault," Luxord insisted. "I was never a fan of Xemnas anyway and when I saw you with him, I just had to make a move. I'm the one who should apologize."

"I won't see him anymore, if it makes you that upset."

"It isn't just me you should be worried about. The man is terrible and raised a terrorist for a son, love. Roxas should also be a concern for you, not just me," Luxord pushed her hand away and held her face in his hands and looked intently in her eyes. "You should be more cautious about who you're seeing, I worry for your safety too." Larxene's chin started to quiver and tears streamed down her cheeks the longer Luxord looked at her. She pushed herself into his chest and hugged him, sobbing quietly.

"I made a horrible mistake, baby. I'm so sorry," she bawled.

The trio stood off to the side watching the scene play out quietly. Namine sniffled and wiped at her eyes with a smile on her face. Roxas didn't seem to have an opinion. Axel was just a bystander at this point and was more concerned about Xemnas coming out and finding them together and having serious chaos break out. The redhead made his way back into the party and observed Xemnas taking several shots at the bar with his brows furrowed. Zexion kept a close watch on him.

_Uh oh_, Axel thought. Anger and alcohol were not the best pair, in his experience. Xigbar was mingling close by; he had donned a jacket even though it was too hot in the room for one. When he turned to move around another person Axel caught a glimpse of a holster under his arm and raised an eyebrow. _Is he that dangerous?_

Eventually, Roxas rejoined the festivities followed shortly by his sister. "What's new?" he asked Axel.

"Xemnas is getting shitfaced."

"That's not good."

"I know, Xigbar is ready for him though if he gets out of hand."

"Good, because my parents went upstairs."

"…Oh yuck."

"I know, but it's a good sign. We'll have to see how it all pans out in the morning."

"Meanwhile they leave us with Mr. Happy."

Roxas shrugged. "We can call the police if he goes insane. He'd just be fanning the flames at this point. I'm going to go see if any of my employees are concerned."

"Right," Axel agreed and the blonde left him with Namine. She smiled.

"I'm happy my parents are screwing."

"_Great_."

"Maybe I'll go distract Xemnas…"

"I wouldn't."

"Well then you don't have to," she said sauntering her way over to the distraught man. Xigbar noticed her walk and shook his head disgustedly but didn't say anything. The older man motioned to Zexion and pointed to his watch. The slate haired man nodded and started to clear the bar. Apparently it was last call.

Namine stopped and talked with Xemnas trying her best to get him to notice her rather than her mother. His face slowly became calmer as their conversation continued and by the time some of the guests started to leave he was smiling again and back to the way he was when he first arrived. Axel was nervous for the girl though because she was becoming far too comfortable with him and laid a hand on his knee, smiling sweetly at him. He took her hand and kissed her fingers gently before letting it drop back to where she had it. Namine giggled and blushed. The rampant heat between them was noticeable to everyone around and it made Axel feel sick to his stomach.

Roxas was busy with seeing the last guests out when he turned his attention to Namine and tried to get her to leave the man alone. She brushed him off easily but Xemnas excused himself and went to get himself ready to leave. He planted a lingering kiss on Namine's forehead before leaving by himself. Luxord and Larxene didn't come back down.

***

"Are you sure you're alright with me sleeping in here? I might keep you awake," Roxas asked. He and Axel were in the redhead's room getting ready for bed. The redhead was brushing the hair spray from his mane.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well I didn't know if you were tired from working so long."

"I'm fine," he insisted. He moved into the bathroom and started to try and wipe the concealer from his cheeks. Roxas came in wrapped his arms around Axel's waist and laid his head against his back.

"Thank you for putting up with my family."

"No problem. At the very least it keeps things interesting," he made a frustrated face as the make-up wouldn't come off as easily as he would have liked. Roxas' hands playing with the hair on his stomach were not helping his concentration either.

The blonde sighed. "I wish they weren't so disruptive and chaotic sometimes though."

"Normalcy isn't all that it's cracked up to be, I like a little chaos every now and again. I'm easily amused, remember?" He did one last check of his cheeks before turning in Roxas' arms to face him. The blonde resettled himself on Axel's chest and the redhead rubbed his back. "Let's get to sleep. You look exhausted."

Roxas shook his head, "I'm not really that tired."

"Well let's get to bed anyway," Axel took the blonde's hand and led him to the bed and went to turn the light off and lock the door. He blinked against the darkness and felt his way to the bed again, brushing lightly against Roxas as he climbed over the smaller boy and plopped on the other side. Roxas snuggled up to him and laid a hand on his stomach to idly play with the fuzz again, it made Axel shiver a little. "How're your sessions with Vexen going?" he asked after a moment of silent cuddling.

"Fine. He's very good at what he does, he's made me realize a lot about myself I never thought about before."

"He's the best. I'm glad you feel better."

"You should go back and see him, maybe the nightmares will stop."

"Probably," Axel shifted to lie on his side and pulled the blonde to his chest. Roxas kissed the redhead's collar bone before resting his forehead against it. Axel smiled peacefully. Before he could ask any other questions of the smaller boy, he noticed his deep even breathing. _Goodnight, Roxas_ he thought before closing his eyes and attempting to sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Axel batted sleepily at something that was shoving him. He grunted angrily at it when it became more persistent. Eventually he just took a whack at whatever it was and awoke fully when his hand connected with a face. He sat up quickly as Roxas groaned and brought his hands to the side of his head.

"I'm sorry!" Axel yelped immediately. He turned himself to face the blonde; half expecting to have him take his hands away and be missing an eye.

"Why did you hit me?" Roxas grumbled, "I was just trying to get you to stop poking me."

"Poking you?" Axel looked down at himself and noticed a severe case of morning wood. He quickly covered up and blushed. "Sorry."

"I still want to know why you hit me."

"Reflex? I have no idea."

"Well whatever. It's after seven, we need to get up anyway," Roxas pushed himself across the sheets and padded to the bathroom. Axel hid himself under the covers and waited. He willed his appendage to go down before he had to embarrass himself when walking to the shower. Roxas yawned when he emerged from the other room and sighed when he saw the unmoving lump in the bed. He crawled under the covers and eventually met up with Axel under the fabric. "Why are you still in here?"

Axel shushed him, "don't let Roxas know, but I'm hiding." He grinned.

"What are you hiding from, exactly?"

"He might drag me into the snow again."

Roxas smiled at Axel's childish game. "Okay now you're just being ridiculous."

"I know but at least I got a smile out of it. Go away, I need to shower. Your morning breath is terrible by the way."

"Yours doesn't exactly smell like roses either."

"No, but my underwear does."

Roxas laughed. "Good morning, Axel."

"Good morning, Roxas."

***

Axel joined the rest of the household already in the middle of breakfast. Namine was still in her pajamas and stared grumpily at her glob of eggs and Roxas was looking over the newspaper with a mug of coffee. Luxord and Larxene were sitting next to each other peacefully picking at their respective plates of breakfast items. Axel bypassed the family meal and sat in the kitchen eating with Demyx and Xigbar.

"Why aren't you in the dining hall?" Demyx asked.

"Doesn't seem like I belong there, family gathering and all that."

"Oh well… you seem to be part of Roxas' family enough to me."

Axel considered those words but thought about Larxene and shook his head. "His parents seem okay together and I don't want to jinx it by making his mom angry."

"That's mighty courteous of you. But I don't think Larxene will be yelling much today. She and Luxord have been _busy_," Demyx said with an inflection like a prepubescent girl. Xigbar elbowed him in the ribs.

"That's enough of that, thanks. I'm trying to eat," the older man said as he took a drink of his coffee.

"Coffee isn't food, stupid."

"It is if that's all you have for breakfast."

"I'm not going to argue semantics with you."

"Good."

Axel smiled and watched their quarrel. He ate quickly, not adding anything to the conversation and got up to leave when he was finished. He was halfway through the dining hall when Larxene called him back to the table.

"Yes ma'am?" he asked as politely as he could. Namine and Roxas had left. Larxene looked a little angry when addressing him but Luxord nudged her and she took in a deep breath before speaking.

"I'm sorry for what I said to you about your mother. I crossed the line and I had no right to accuse you of something so horrible. I still don't approve of what you and Roxas do together but I'm not exactly in the position to object," she said with minimal eye contact. Axel figured that was the best he was going to get.

"I appreciate it. Thanks, no harm done," he turned on his heel and left. He thought her apology over diligently and eventually was able to accept it. He headed outside to smoke, bringing the dog with him. Roxas was already leaning against the building waiting for him in his puffy blue coat. Axel raised a brow in question at the blonde.

"How'd it go?" Roxas asked.

"Did you ask her to do that? Because if you're telling me you're bribing her into apologizing then I don't want it."

"I told her to, yes. But I didn't offer anything in return."

"You think she really meant it?"

"Who knows? She still doesn't like us being together so it's not like she turned a new leaf over night."

Axel exhaled a cloud of smoke and watched Alabaster romp around in the snow. "Yeah, that's true." He was taking another inhale when Roxas approached him and took the cigarette out of his hand. Axel glared at him.

"I want you to quit."

"What right now?"

"Why wait?"

"Because I wasn't exactly preparing myself for it that's why; what does it matter?"

"It matters because it's unhealthy. I don't want you doing things that are unhealthy for you."

"What are you my mother?"

"No, and I don't want to be. You have the choice to quit but I want you aware that it displeases me," Roxas snuffed the stick out in the snow.

"Ooo forgive me for infringing on you, master," Axel mocked. Roxas gave him a sideways glare and the redhead smiled. Axel moved with precision as he bent and grabbed onto the backs of the blonde's thighs and hefted him up to straddle his waist. Roxas yelped and grabbed onto the redhead's neck for balance as Axel's hands became his seat up off the ground.

"Why am I up here?"

"I just wanted to touch your butt," Axel grinned. Roxas sat up straight and Axel held him steady.

"You're tall. I can see like… a mile further from up here."

"Good, call your dog, we're going inside."

***

Instead of trekking up the stairs, Axel opted for the theater. He lowered Roxas down gently onto the couch and immediately wrestled him out of his fluffy coat. He pushed their lips together and Roxas met him eagerly, wrapping his arms around Axel's neck and keeping them pressed together. Axel shoved his cold hands up the back of Roxas' shirt eliciting a light gasp from the blonde. After a long while of sensuous kissing, Roxas pulled his shirt off and tugged on Axel for his.

Axel's burn had healed and Roxas wasn't afraid to touch him with a certain amount of roughness that he had previously held back. He ran his hands over the expanse of the redhead's chest, occasionally grazing him with his fingernails and feeling gossebumps spread as Axel purred almost like a growl into his neck. The redhead's hands followed the line of Roxas' body touching every inch of exposed skin and feeling the warmth permeate his icy fingers. He hesitated when his fingertips brushed the seam of the blonde's pants.

Roxas put a hand on his chest and pushed him up and off of his neck. "Wait," he panted. Axel tried his best to think through his foggy mind.

"Not okay?" he blurted.

"I… I just want to try it my way first," Roxas said which was a misleading statement as he really didn't mean what that implied, but he didn't have the language for it. Axel looked a little hesitant at that proposition and Roxas wiggled out from under him to sit up. "That's not exactly what I meant…" the blonde blushed wildly. Instead of trying to talk through it, he pushed Axel to sit back and ran his hands along the inside of the redhead's thighs causing a shiver.

Roxas shifted around to lie on his stomach and stretch himself along the lengthy sofa. Axel reclined to watch and see what Roxas wanted. The blonde's fingers began working at the button of his jeans and his fly before hesitating a little. Axel was about to try and stop him when Roxas stuffed his hand in his pants and felt around a bit and pulled his warmth into the open air. Axel's thighs twitched as Roxas ran his fingertips over him with mild apprehension. It took him a minute of mental adjustment but Roxas gave him a firm squeeze and watched Axel let his head fall back at the feeling with a pleasing grunt.

Axel's skin was on fire. He kept his head back and looked at the ceiling to help him process that this was_ real_. That this was happening and even though Roxas had only touched him a little, the pent up frustration he felt made it all the more enticing. His attention snapped back to the blonde when he felt the wetness of his tongue travel up his entirety before Roxas took him in his mouth and began to suck just ever so gently. Axel started to pant with need as Roxas watched his expression with enormous eyes and he started to move. He would lower himself as much as he could before coming up again and giving Axel a flick of his tongue. He gave a stroke here, a lick there, and teased the redhead relentlessly until Axel felt like he was going to scream. Roxas ignored his obvious torture and continued until Axel let out a moan and moved to take himself in his hands. Roxas promptly batted his hands away but Axel caught him at the wrists.

"You're killing me here," Axel panted.

"I need you to get angry with me," Roxas said with a very serious gaze.

Axel was confused, "what?"

"Don't ask, just take it."

Axel couldn't think through his clogged mind and didn't get much of a chance to either. Roxas took his hand and gave him one last taunting touch before the redhead pushed him back in irritation. He quickly fumbled with the blonde's pants and pulled them away, holding both of Roxas' wrists together above his head with one hand. The blonde sucked in a breath when he was fully exposed and Axel took in the view with hungry eyes. He coated his finger in saliva and started to probe the blonde and let go of his wrists. Roxas pulled him to his face and pressed their mouths together to muffle his whimpering.

Once Axel was able to wedge two fingers in the blonde he felt around inside for just the right spot. He gave it a flick and Roxas bucked underneath him emitting a moan with a voice he had never heard before. He moved closer to the blonde and pressed their hips together briefly to gauge his reaction. When Roxas didn't protest Axel positioned his length at his entry and pressed into the writhing blonde. He took it slow and watched the smaller boy's chest heave as his breath quickened the more Axel moved into him.

Once he was fully sheathed, the redhead dropped on top of the blonde and pressed their foreheads together to look into his eyes. He panted in tandem with Roxas as they lay together, letting the blonde's body adjust. The smaller boy gave him a brief kiss when he felt he was okay for Axel to move and the redhead pushed himself up to position himself on his knees. Axel pulled Roxas' thighs to him as he started to move, watching himself slide in and out with little resistance. Roxas was trying his best to hold back his cries and instead made small squeaks that seemed to entice the redhead further. He wasn't able to stop himself from crying out though when Axel dropped one of his legs and grabbed onto Roxas' member and started to work him over with his hands.

The combination of Axel's tenderness with his strokes and the feverish pumping against his hips threw Roxas over the edge and he groaned with his climax spreading ropes of white across his stomach. Axel dropped his limbs and slammed against him with a ferocity that caused the blonde to yelp and grab the couch for stability. After a moment of animalistic pumping the redhead grit his teeth and shuddered with his orgasm, holding his torso above the blonde with shaking arms. Roxas watched with glossy eyes as a bead of sweat rolled down Axel's face. The redhead panted for a moment before lowering himself down and resting his forehead against Roxas' chest. It took them both a minute to catch their breath.

"I feel so much better," Axel said breathlessly.

"Me too," Roxas agreed. He started to run his fingers through Axel's hair and the redhead pulled out of him slowly to lie on top of him, ignoring the mess. The movement made Roxas' thighs twitch again.

"We need a shower."

"Let's use the one down here in the gym."

It took them a minute to gather the energy to move but eventually the both fell into the shower together. Roxas was finally able to take in the last of Axel's tattoos. The redhead explained that the pointy circular things were chakrams and the trail of fire was well… fire and they were heading in opposite directions over his thighs as a sort of homage to the yin yang. Roxas shrugged, he didn't need to understand the significance of them to understand that they were a part of Axel.

"You're a total fire crotch you know that?" Roxas blurted while lathering up the soap in a washcloth.

"I have been aware of this since puberty, yes. Does that 'displease' you too? Should I shave?"

Roxas though about that and scrunched his nose up disdainfully. "No, I just thought I'd mention it. I like it," he blushed a little and gave the other a sheepish glance. Axel grinned.

"Well good because I never intended to bring sharp objects near my sack anyway."

"You wouldn't shave even if I asked you?"

"No, no I wouldn't."

"Okay," Roxas slid over to the redhead and started to wash his back. When he was finished he moved around to the front and looked up into Axel's jade eyes. "You know… I never…" he hesitated with the words. "I never came? With Riku before," he posed it as a question to test the term out and see how he felt about it. "I feel like I should thank you but that would be weird."

Axel grinned, "I agree, that is weird. It's also weird to talk about past flings with your current one."

Roxas blushed and looked away, "I'm sorry I just thought that was an important detail. And what do you mean you're just a fling? You're not a fling."

"Oh I'm not? Then what am I?" Axel leaned in close with a sly grin that made Roxas fidget.

"You're my…"

"Hmmm?"

"My lover," Roxas said and looked up shyly at the redhead with giant orbs of blue that made Axel's heart melt. He gathered the blonde up in his arms and squished their bodies together in a firm hug.

"You know just how to make a girl feel loved, you know that?" Axel teased, nuzzling his face in Roxas' wet hair. Roxas huffed and backed out of the hug giving Axel a hard glare.

"I'm serious!" he insisted.

"I know you are, and that's the best part," Axel said calmly with a wide smile. "I'm sorry, I saw the opening to tease you and I took it. But I really do feel loved," the redhead took the washcloth from him and ran the soap over it a few times before scrubbing Roxas' face and moving down his torso. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

"I'm sore but I'll be fine. I'm not as breakable as I look."

"I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

"Why wouldn't it be good?"

"Well did you_ learn_ to not break or were you _always _so resilient?"

"Oh… I see what you're getting at," he turned around for Axel to wash his back, "I guess I've just become used to it. Vexen said in order for me to be a little more comfortable with intimacy I may need to mix previous behaviors in with new until I get comfortable with our own way of doing things."

Axel thought about it and nodded, not that the blonde could see. "I can see where that would work."

"Well it did, obviously."

"Yes. Yes it did," Axel said with a grin. He pulled the boy back against him and hugged him from behind. Roxas leaned against him and closed his eyes. Axel ran soapy hands up and down the blonde's torso getting Roxas to giggle. Hearing the small noises of brightness escape from the blonde was one of the most comforting things Axel had come across since his stay with Roxas and his family, but before he could continue any further there was an incessant banging on the bathroom door that caused them both to freeze and go doe-eyed.

"Roxas," Xigbar stated in a deep tone from the other side.

"Y-yes?" the blonde stammered back. Axel didn't dare move a muscle.

"I don't care about what you're doing, but you need to come out here and get some work done _eventually_.Pieter from 21-61 called with something you need to address."

Roxas looked contemplative for a moment before he seemed to remember something, "ah! Okay I'll be right out." He turned in the redhead's arms and kissed him one last time before turning off the water. He peeked outside to check and see if Xigbar was still by the door before starting to dry off and get himself together. He noticed Axel's curious look. "I have to make a few calls, I'm sorry I can't stay and romp with you more," the blonde said with a tiny frown.

Axel wrapped his hair in a towel and buttoned his pants. "It's fine. There's always later." Roxas left the bathroom before him and he took his time before exiting it himself. He wasn't paying attention and a hand pressed against his chest stopping him from leaving the gym. He jolted and looked up at Xigbar's face. The older man shoved a bucket of rags and some leather polish in the redhead's arms.

"Clean the damn couch."

***

Several hours later, Axel was taking Roxas his lunch. He stuck his head into the study briefly to see if the blonde was busy. Roxas looked particularly frustrated and was rubbing his temples in the universal sign of '_I'm stressed out and grumpy_.' The redhead quietly pushed himself inside and tip toed to the desk. Once Roxas realized he was there, he looked a little less angry but still had his hands amongst a mound of papers.

Axel found an empty spot a small distance from the chaos to set the plate and glass down. "Stressed?"

"Natural disasters."

"What?"

"Several of our hotels in Greece were seriously damaged in a string of earthquakes. Aside from the obvious aspect of money there is a lot to be done with the relief effort. The buildings weren't in overly populated areas and had mostly tourists but several hotel employees were killed and we need to address their families," Roxas took off his glasses to rub his face.

"Holy shit."

"Pieter is my regional manager for that particular area and wants me to come to Greece to help him sort things out."

"How long will you be gone?" Axel's heart sunk a little.

"A week. Maybe two. I'm going to call my school and see if they can schedule my test date for tomorrow so I can get this all put behind me as quickly as possible."

Axel nodded and left so he didn't distract the other boy any further. He furrowed his brows in thought at the aspect of going without the blonde for a couple weeks. He didn't necessarily like that idea but it would probably give him time to see Vexen and sort out the remaining problems he had going on in his mind. He then wondered if Roxas was taking anyone with him. He would probably steal Xigbar away so that was one less person to talk to, and possibly his parents. He had a mental pout with the prospect of having to spend two weeks with Roxas' deranged sister.

Roxas spent the rest of the afternoon and part of the evening in his office with the phone ringing off the hook. Once he was finished for the day, or rather, once he decided to put off the rest of the work for the day, he went to go find the redhead. He looked in all the obvious spots before he remembered that Axel was a smoker and checked outside. There he found Axel staring off into the setting sun with an unlit cigarette hanging from his lips.

"What are you doing?"

"Being bummed."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Why are you bummed?"

"Because you're going to leave me here for two weeks," Axel sighed and took the cigarette in his hands, looked at it, and tucked it behind his ear.

"Who said I was leaving you? I never said that," Roxas crossed his arms and peered down at the other boy.

"I'm going with you?" Axel perked up quickly and looked up expectantly at the blonde.

"We're going to spend the New Year in Greece. Doesn't that sound nice?" Roxas said with a smile.

"New Ye—a whole month?"

"A whole month and then some, a _vacation_ if you will. We're taking Zexion and Xigbar with us."

"Why Zexion?"

"Because he's fluent in Turkish and Greek he's quite the linguist, really."

"Wow. I don't know what to think."

"Don't think, just start packing. We're leaving the day after tomorrow."

***

First class seemed like a marvelous proposition. Going to Greece together also seemed like a marvelous proposition. Being served fantastic food over the course of the lengthy flight seemed fine as well, but being suspended in an aluminum bubble with propellers tens of thousands of feet over the ground did not bode well with either boy. Axel had never been on a plane before and apparently Roxas got air sick relatively easily or so he said.

"Don't worry Roxas I'll hold your hair back for you," Axel teased, trying to calm his nerves.

"I don't have that much hair."

"That was the joke. Thank you for catching on," the redhead grinned and Roxas kicked him in the shin.

"Knock it off you two," Xigbar warned. The small group weaved to the back of the jet and settled into their temporary seating arrangements. Only two other business men were accompanying them for the first part of the flight so there was plenty of room left in the cabin. They waited for over an hour in the plane before it was able to take off with little trouble. Roxas immediately started to look pale, but Axel was too distracted with the mental images of the plane crashing into the Earth to notice. Once the seatbelt light went off the blonde immediately made his way to the bathroom as casually as he could.

Axel felt fine once the initial nervousness was gone and he was able to lounge in his elongated seat comfortably. Xigbar chuckled a little at Roxas' misfortune as he flipped through the pages of his newspaper. Zexion sat next to him engrossed in a book. Twenty minutes later and the redhead was becoming concerned that the blonde hadn't come back. He went to knock on the door.

"Roxas, are you okay?" he asked quietly, the lock on the door clicked and Axel pushed the door open. Roxas was holding himself over the sink and swishing mouthwash around in his mouth. He spat it into the sink and ran some water.

"I'm fine."

"Okay good, because I thought you flushed yourself or something."

"Interesting notion, but no. I'm fine," he repeated. Axel came in all the way and let the door slide closed behind him he pulled the blonde into his arms and hugged him tightly. Roxas reciprocated his motion. Axel thought to himself and grinned deviously.

"Wanna join the mile high club?"

Roxas was quiet for a moment. "No. Not unless you want me to vomit on you."

"I noticed that hesitation, you thought about it didn't you?"

"Of course not."

"Liar."

"We have other people traveling with us, Axel, mind your manners."

"Aw… why do you have to be such a cock block today?"

"Because I'm still feeling nauseated and I'm not going to have sex with you while I'm like this. So excuse me for not obliging you but I need to lie down." Axel enacted an overly dramatic display of pouting in order to make Roxas smile a little before they left the bathroom. Axel tried to put on a concerned face for the sake of covering up his perverted antics to give the other passengers the impression he was a good boy, just like Roxas. The blonde shuffled around his carry on and pulled out a small pillow. He waited for Axel to sit before imposing himself on the redhead; shoving his arm out of the way so he can rest his head in the other's lap. Axel reclined in his seat some and laid his hand on Roxas' clammy forehead and stroked his hair peacefully and tried to doze with him.

Several more times over the course of their flight Roxas got up and stayed in the bathroom for twenty minutes or so and would come back to throw himself onto the seat next to Axel and try his best to not think about his inside-out stomach lining. It became even worse when they had the changeover in London and they had to take off again. Axel felt for the blonde and tried his best to comfort him in between vomiting sessions. The worst part of it was that Roxas was taking something for the motion sickness anyway so it wasn't like he was blatantly ignoring his problem. By the time they reached Roxas' château in Greece, everyone was exhausted from jet lag, and keeping an eye on the blonde.

"I hate flying," Roxas said when he dropped his luggage in the entryway. The building was much smaller than the manor back home and much cozier to be in. The property was nestled in the countryside about thirty miles away from the nearest major city and surrounded by olive groves. It only had five bedrooms versus the near dozen at home, a smaller kitchen, a dining room a quarter of the manor's size and half of the amenities. Axel almost preferred this place versus the monstrosity he was used to. The biggest difference he noticed was that he could see the neighbors as opposed to having to drive down and around a giant hill to see anyone else. They were in such close proximity that one could see someone getting the newspaper if you really wanted to.

"Γεια σου!" came from somewhere before a very petite brunette girl with twin braids came around the corner with her arms open wide. Axel didn't know what she said but Zexion said the same gibberish back and she started running towards the group. Zexion met her first with vigor and they were splattering nonsense back and fourth to each other before she kissed both of his cheeks and went to see Roxas next giving him the same treatment only the blonde didn't say much.

"Olette, do you remember Xigbar?" Roxas asked.

"Oh yes!" she said with a heavy European accent Axel could barely understand. She spat some more incomprehensible words at the older man and they embraced each other before she gave him kisses on either cheek as well. She looked surprised to see Axel. "I don't know this one," she said calmly, looking to Roxas.

"Axel," the redhead said. She smiled and came closer to give him the same greeting.

"I am Olette, I work for Roxas' family," she said. Axel fought the urge to have her repeat herself, he understood, but just barely. Olette turned to Roxas and started to giggle and talk in tongues again. Zexion was right there to whisper what she said in the blonde's ear and Roxas blushed a little with a smile. He didn't try to answer her which seemed to excite her even more. She eventually calmed down and started to heft pieces of luggage up the stairs with help from Xigbar and Zexion.

Axel looked at Roxas and he shrugged. "She's a native from France but moved here a little over seven years ago to go to school. She ended up working for my family as caretaker for this house and she never really left. Despite her appearance, she's actually twenty-five and speaks six languages. It also helps that she's incredibly sweet," he explained without the redhead asking. Olette came back down the stairs to take another piece of baggage and this time Axel and Roxas followed, carrying some of their own.

The bedrooms were smaller with less furniture than what Axel had become accustomed to but it was still very high end and expensive looking. He flopped down face-first onto his bed and kicked his shoes off. He heard a door open somewhere and Roxas sat next to him on the bed. When he looked to see where he come from he noticed an extra door that joined their rooms in addition to their Jack and Jill bathroom arrangement. Roxas followed Axel's motion of kicking off his shoes and sliding across the bed not bothering to ask permission before hefting the covers over himself. Axel followed suit and both of them quickly fell asleep even though it was still in the middle of the day.

***

Axel didn't wake up again until the next day. Roxas had already left his bed and the redhead groaned as he realized he fell asleep in the clothes he had just spent nearly two days in flying across the world. He was stiff and when he stretched himself his back popped and he grunted. He glanced around the room and sighed when he decided it was time to dig around in his luggage and find his toothbrush. He was abnormally cranky this morning and considered just crawling back into the bed. As if on cue, his stomach emitted an ethereal growl warning him against the motion.

After a long shower, minor primping, and a change in clothes the redhead slowly wandered his way downstairs where Zexion was chatting away in gibberish noise with Olette and Xigbar was flicking through channels on the television. Axel quirked a brow when he noticed the older man lingering curiously on an episode of SpongeBob, which coincidentally was also in babble.

"It's thirteen thirty? Oh wait," Axel said stupidly when he noticed the digital clock on the wall. Olette giggled at him.

"It is one thirty, yes. Did you want something to eat? You must be starved."

"I'm not sure what I want to do, I feel like I'm in a dream or something. Dazed I guess would be a better way to say it."

"Just let me know, and I can help you," she said with a smile.

"Okay," Axel said inspecting his surroundings. Finding nothing of interest, he decided to wander on through the rest of the house. He walked the halls and opened random doors finding not only Olette's room but most of the storage areas as well, which weren't as interesting. Eventually he opened a door just as Roxas was about to walk out of the room it belonged to and they both jumped in surprise.

"You're going to give me a heart attack if you keep that up," Roxas said, catching his breath.

"Sorry, I'm just not sure what I was supposed to be doing so I started to inspect. I was hungry when I woke up but now I'm not," the redhead responded idly rubbing his stomach.

"I get air sick, I don't get jet lag," Roxas said simply.

"This is jet lag? I thought you just got tired from the time zones changing. I feel like garbage."

"You'll probably be like that for a couple days but you'll be fine."

"Makes me wish I brought my smokes," Axel huffed grumpily.

"You didn't?"

"No, I decided to try and quit."

"I'm touched," Roxas smiled.

"Well you'll just have to be their substitute then."

"What does all that entail? Should I fear for my health?"

"Only if you resist," Axel grinned. "But I don't feel like ravaging you today, so you're safe. I think I might just go back to bed."

"I would advise against that, really. Too much sleeping and you'll end up feeling worse."

Axel sighed and decided to take the blonde's word for it. They walked together back the way the redhead had come. Olette fixed them some lunch and they ate in relative peace. After they were finished, the girl decided to start to chat them up about basic things like how they met, how long they have been friends, and where Axel was from. In time though the discussion turned to the house and the surrounding area.

"New neighbors moved across the way just a couple weeks ago," she offered.

"Oh yeah? Are they nice, do you think?" Roxas asked.

"It is big western family with many people coming and going. The little boy comes and shares some pastry with me every now and again."

"That's nice. Maybe we should have a get together sometime before we head home."

"That sounds like fun," she said with a glittering smile. Roxas agreed.

"Do you know any of their names?"

"I only know two, ah… Rick? Richard? Ri—I don't remember the older one but the little one is called Sora, he is very sweet." Every pair of eyes turned to Olette and it made the girl look back at them like she had committed some horrible sin. All four men were staring at her like she had sprouted six extra arms and four heads. "What? Is that wrong of me to know?" she asked.

"Riku and Sora?" Xigbar asked with flames in his voice.

"Yeah that is them! You know them already? What a small world," she said with a wavering smile.

"I need to talk to you, Olette, come with me. Zex, you too," the older man said solemnly and he took the two in the other room. Axel looked at Roxas with his mouth agape. The blonde had a blank face and was staring into space in the way that he usually did when he was reliving something in his mind. The redhead put a hand on his knee and Roxas nearly fell out of his seat.

"W-we should call the police," Roxas said when he snapped back into reality.

"And they will do what?" Axel asked, not bothering to hide his tension. Roxas seemed to think about it before shaking his head. From the other room the low murmur of conversation started to pick up as Olette yammered on in strange dialect with Zexion not far behind her. Her pitch became more fevered when Xigbar said a few things in a low voice and Axel and Roxas knew what they were talking about.

"I can't think about this right now. I need to work, or something. Do something to distract myself," Roxas said with a hint of desperation in his voice. "I'm sorry… I need to be by myself for a minute." The blonde stood and made his way back into the house. Axel sat quietly listening to the words, or what he thought were words, float out from the adjacent space as the discussion turned more heated and eventually he heard light crying coming from Olette before everything turned silent.

He reclined in his seat and stared up at the tin ceiling and desperately wished that Riku and Sora didn't realize who lived across the street. Though the probability that they didn't deliberately move in there was extremely low in Axel's mind. They _had_ to have known that Roxas had a home in Greece, in this specific area. Did they plan this? How could they have predicted the earthquakes? Or were they just going to lie in wait until they came here? Which would have probably eventually happened anyway, Axel figured.

He stood from his seat and walked to the front window to check the house across the street. It was similar to Roxas' but looked newer, and less lived in. His blood ran cold at the thought of another torture chamber just a hop, skip and a jump away from where he was standing. Arms came around his torso suddenly as Olette hugged him from a strange angle, speaking in a low voice in French? Axel had no idea but she sounded upset anyway. He turned and hugged her back briefly. She took his hands and ran a finger over his wrists which had only slight traces of bruising left. Her eyes were puffy and she sniffled. After a moment of talking to herself she gave him one last quick hug before heading deeper into the house.

Axel's curiosity got the better of him and he started to follow her absently. As he neared closer to the room Roxas had come out of before he noticed her talking becoming more insistent. He was surprised to hear some French coming from the blonde, albeit nothing near the amount coming from the girl. Roxas sat in a leather chair with his laptop set aside on the table next to him. Olette was standing in front of him, crying. She threw herself on his lap and sobbed into his thighs, talking away through her tears. He dug in his pocket and retrieved his handkerchief and picked her face up from his legs and gave her a wavering smile before handing it to her. She sniffled and dabbed her eyes, sitting back and looking up at him. The blonde said a few more calm sentences to her that Axel didn't comprehend and she nodded before standing and handing the kerchief back to him and leaving, looking dejected.

Axel was thoroughly confused. "What was that all about?" he asked when she was out of earshot.

"She was begging my forgiveness; apparently she had invited Sora and Riku over at one point. She had no idea what they were capable of and I told her that and forgave her. She was a little overly dramatic about it but that's just the way she handles it," Roxas replied calmly. He ran a hand over his face and sighed. "This is bad. I should call our detective."

"Is he prepared to take this overseas? Does he even have any evidence for a case?"

"He doesn't have much aside from conjecture. I'm sure the government will just brush him off. But it's worth a call."

"I suppose," Axel said. "This makes me sick."

"I'm not feeling much better, myself," Roxas looked at his watch. "I need to meet with Pieter in two hours; I'll give Bill a ring first."

"I'm going to… I don't know. I'm going to lie down again I guess," the redhead sighed before leaving Roxas to his work.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

I week passed with no incidents. A week to adjust to the time zone, the house, and the uncomfortable environment that resided across the street. Roxas spent most of his time out of the château and on job sites with Zexion and his employees, leaving Axel to wander and get accustomed. The redhead's jet lag lasted for three days but like the blonde had assured him, he was fine. He got to know Olette a little more but still couldn't quite understand everything she said through her thick accent. Apparently she was having the same problem with him because they were forever asking each other to repeat what they had just said. Xigbar spent most of his time keeping an eye on the suspicious house across the way.

"What's new, captain?" Axel asked curiously, idly chewing on some foreign pastry Olette had made the night before.

"Hm? Oh, I don't know really. They're definitely there, I've seen them. But they're not doing anything of too much interest," Xigbar said gruffly. "They aren't showing any signs that they know we're here, or if they have realized, they don't care. Xemnas definitely has a couple of his goons lurking around though. I know one personally, and Lexaeus is one touch son of a bitch, let me tell you."

"Lexaeus?"

"Yeah, he seems to follow Sora a lot. If you see a giant walking around their property it's probably him. He's… not the most pleasant person to be around, lets just say."

"Oh. He's bigger than Xaldin?"

"Much."

"Wow. That's a big guy."

"Oh damn! There he is! Look look!" Xigbar said pulling Axel's face into the window with him and pointing. Axel's eyes grew wide at the sight of enormous man. Sora flitted around him like a fairy on too much sugar and they got into a car together, a car that looked like it would barely hold itself together and bobbed under the man's weight.

"Holy shit. He's _huge_! What the fuck do they feed him?"

"Entire villages."

"Well, I doubt that, but he certainly ate his broccoli when he was younger, _damn_."

"There's one more that follows Riku around. He acts sort of like Zexion. Really quiet and just does as he's told, I think. I don't know him."

Axel sighed and finished his pastry. "As long as they stay on their side of the street I don't care what they do."

"I agree. Have the detectives back home said anything new?"

"Nope. They don't have enough to send the feds over here, which is really frustrating. I almost want to go over there and just… light it on fire. Like with Molotov's and shit," Axel had a tense feeling in his shoulders just thinking about Riku and Sora getting away again when they're right across the street.

"I'm right there with you kid, but then we'd be the ones in trouble. Doesn't seem like the right kind of justice in my opinion."

"Can't you just shoot them from here?"

"I could, it's true. But then we'd be in the same situation."

"Please? For me?" Axel nudged the older man and batted his eyelashes at him, which made Xigbar laugh and shove him away.

"I'd love to Ax, I really would. But my hands are tied." Xigbar went back to looking out the window and a few minutes later a familiar car pulled into the driveway. "Roxas is home."

Zexion held the door open for Roxas since the blonde had his arms full of files and papers. He dropped the pile on the dining room table and a huff and plopped in a seat tiredly. Zexion took the smaller boys coat and briefcase before disappearing into the house. Axel heard distant conversation between the slate-haired man and Olette start up somewhere farther in. He went to go sit with Roxas.

"How's business?" he asked.

"Finished, surprisingly enough. There wasn't as much damage to two of the buildings as we thought there was. Only to the oldest one had major problems."

"Well that's better than what you thought, which is good."

Roxas nodded, "how's the home front? Anything interesting?"

"Nope. Well except the gigantic guy that follows Sora around."

"Who Lexaeus? We fired him almost… thirteen years ago?" Roxas looked contemplative. "He beat up my mother, we fired him, and then Xemnas took him in."

"Hot damn, he beat your mom? I mean, she's awful and everything but you don't beat up women, especially if you're _that huge_."

"I don't remember the circumstances around it anymore I just remember it happening. He has a temper."

"Yikes."

"Indeed."

***

"What's the drinking age over here?" Axel asked.

"There isn't one, for drinking in private anyway. Technically you have to be eighteen to purchase though, but all the times I've been here they've never asked for identification," Roxas replied. There was a tree in the back yard of the château that had two swings dangling from its overhanging branches. The pair sat on the swings together and enjoyed the mild weather while the sun was setting.

"Seriously? We should go out."

"If you feel like trying to drive, go right ahead. It's suicide out there on the roads."

"Oh. I wouldn't know; I've been left at the house for a week by a certain blonde who shall remain nameless."

"Now now, don't start crying. You would've been bored out of your mind if I had taken you with me."

"At least I would've been out and about. Instead, I've been hanging around here and getting fat on Olette's cooking."

Roxas laughed. "I can't picture you fat, I'm sorry."

"Yeah well… neither can I really. I hardly gain any weight as it is, if anything I'm _under_weight," Axel quipped, poking his stomach.

"I agree you need to gain some."

"Yeah yeah I know, I've heard it before. You should have seen me when I was doing smack, I was skeletal."

Roxas shuddered and crinkled his nose. "That's terrible."

"Don't do drugs."

"I don't plan to."

"I'd have to kill you if you ever start."

"I'll keep that in mind. Wait, which one is 'smack?'"

"Heroin, Roxas," Axel smiled at the blonde's naïveté.

"Oh."

***

Roxas was developing a cold. He roamed around the property sniffling and dabbing at his nose with his handkerchief. He tried his best to keep out of his work while he was feeling so terrible but it was the only thing keeping him from going insane. Riku was so close to him and he was so unsuspecting of the other's every move that it made him sick to his stomach. He was getting so tired of the unknown across the street that he was tempted to call off the entire excursion and fly home. Maybe he needed to do something drastic to have some closure. Make the first move. Nothing was going to change unless he forced himself to change it, right? He couldn't very well wait for Riku to make a move; that could be disastrous. His cynical side was coming to the light again as he left his bed and made his way over to Axel's room.

"What do you need?" the redhead asked. He was lounging on his bed with his ear buds in and flipping through a book he had borrowed from Zexion.

"Companionship. And possibly an ear to listen to my insanity," Roxas sniffed hard against his plugged nose and crawled into bed with Axel. The redhead didn't mind his germs, which he was thankful for.

"Okay, I'm listening," he replied, pulling the devices from his ears and turning his MP3 player off.

Roxas took a deep breath before speaking. "I want to invite Riku and Sora over." Axel put a hand to Roxas' forehead and one against his own.

"Okay you don't have a fever. Maybe you _are_ insane."

"Just hear me out," the blonde said, taking Axel's hand from his head and holding it in his. He stared intently at the redhead's palm and traced the lines in his skin with a timid finger. "I want to make the first move. This bullshit of sitting around and watching is killing me. I can't stand to be here anymore. I figure if we make a move before them, especially if it's over here on our turf, then we can be prepared and feel out what they're doing over there."

"I agree that not knowing what's up is scary, but I'm not sure this is the best course of action."

"I'm losing my resolve quickly, Axel."

"Then maybe we should go home."

"No. I refuse to run."

"Well then I don't know what to for you. I'm not going to leave you here but I'm certainly not going to let you go it alone, I just wish you weren't so determined to stir things up."

"It isn't stirring, it's… closure."

"And what happens if something goes wrong?"

"We need to be prepared for that, that's why having something over here is to our advantage," Roxas said before going into a phlegm-filled coughing fit. Axel rubbed his back.

"Well we're not going to do anything until you're better."

Roxas nodded. "I just hope they don't do anything before then." The blonde looked over the redhead. "You don't seem as upset as you should be about them."

Axel raised an eyebrow. "What, you want me to be an unusable lump on the floor crying for my mom or something?"

"No, I just find it odd that you can go through so much trauma in such a short time span and not be at least a little whacked."

"I'm dealing with it in my own way."

"Are you sure?"

Axel glared at the blonde, "_yes_," he growled. Roxas threw up his hands in a defensive position.

"Okay. I get it. I'm sorry." The blonde moved out of the bed giving Axel one more look over. The redhead seemed tense but wasn't showing much outward expression. He was concerned that he wasn't letting anything out and trying to deal with every factor himself. At least in Roxas' defense he went and saw Vexen a few times, Axel didn't do anything to help himself. Then again Roxas remembered he wasn't much of a professional psychologist so maybe he knew nothing. Maybe Axel was fine; if only a little stressed. He gave the redhead one more glance before heading back into his bedroom.

Axel huffed and smashed a pillow over his face once the door was closed. Why did he snap at Roxas? He had no reason to. The blonde was only concerned with his mental health; there wasn't any harm in that. The redhead sat on his bed recalling his nightmares to himself and trying to dissect the information bit by bit. He tried to force them out of his mind again once he felt the lump in his throat starting to form. He needed to take a walk. Or maybe smoke. Smoking always helped fog his mind over but he didn't have any cigarettes with him and he would feel bad for starting up again after telling the blonde he was trying to quit. Drinking? Who would he drink with? Roxas was sick and he'd never seen Xigbar touch the stuff. He sat up in his bed and thought of what he could do to distract himself. Memories were welling up in the back of his mind like an irritating rash and he wanted to smother them. His mind started to linger.

_Wendy? Was that her name? I can't remember name exactly, but I remember her number. Not like I'm at home or anything,_ Axel thought to himself. When he realized the thought process he was going down he slapped himself across the face with as much strength as he could muster. He rolled to the side and tried to smother himself in the mattress. _No no no no, bad unhealthy thoughts, Axel. Can't have that._

"What are you doing?" a stuffy voice came from across the room. Axel was positioned with his face in the mattress with his backside straight up in the air. He muttered a response which made the blonde come all the way into the room look him over with a disgruntled face. "I heard a smack, are you okay?" Axel tried his best to nod, but the position of his neck made it difficult so he gave a thumbs up.

He inhaled deep the smell of foreign fabric softener before speaking, "Hrnfff…"

Roxas smiled, "what?" Axel turned his head but still had his cheek smashed into the bed.

"'M thorry," he slurred. Roxas started to laugh lightly at his expression but started to cough half way through.

"What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything."

"For yellin' at thoo."

"Oh. Well okay. I forgive you." Axel smiled and moved around to sit. Roxas gave him a small smile back.

"Can we go for a walk or something?" the redhead asked.

"You can, but I don't think I should."

"Well that was sort of the point of asking if _we_ could go, but I may just go ahead anyway."

"I'll be here when you get back."

***

Olive trees were cool looking. Axel liked the way the trunks looked like obese pieces of rope twisting around a pole and up into a giant bush. He wasn't one for olives themselves though. He had tried a few types of tapenade that Olette had made and a couple were okay but the rest we absolutely terrible in his opinion, though he didn't say anything. He had walked a fair distance from the house and was able to clear his mind a little before he decided to head back. A quarter of the way back, he spied a familiar head of silver hair and tried to ignore it. To his dismay, his hair was just as recognizable and soon Riku was jogging across the street to meet him.

"What the fuck do you want?" Axel asked, letting his temper flare. He kept his hands stuffed firmly in his pockets.

"Whoa whoa. Don't be so quick to get angry, dude."

"I'm not your 'dude.'"

Riku smiled. "I'm surprised you're here and I just wanted to stop and say hello."

"Hi. Goodbye," Axel started walking again. Riku jogged to get in front of him and stopped. Axel simply walked around him and kept going, but before he could get very far Riku reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. Axel didn't think before whipping around with a clenched fist and connecting it with Riku's jaw.

The boy staggered back with a hand to his face. "The fuck was that for!?" he yelled. He took his hand away and a smear of blood was on his lip. He stood straight and spat, leaving a red stain on the street

"Don't. Fucking. Touch. Me," the redhead sneered.

"I should have you arrested, you know that?" Riku looked angry for a split second before smiling pleasantly. "But I'm not going to. I understand your anger. In fact want to invite you and yours to my home."

"No."

"You refuse so quickly? You really want to speak on Roxas' behalf? What if he _wants _to see me? He can see Sora too, it'll be _fun_," the other boy smiled deviously. Axel's blood started to curdle with sudden memories of what Riku considered _fun_. He stepped closer to the redhead and laid a hand on his chest gently. "Maybe _we_ could have fun too. Have you ever considered that?"

Axel brushed his hand off and started walking again. "No," he called back behind him. Riku caught up to him easily and tried to pull him back by his shoulder. Axel turned to take a swing at him again but Riku ducked this time and shoved a hand into the redhead's groin, holding him steady. Axel grunted uncomfortably but didn't move.

"Now where do you think you're going with this? We could have fun with this," Riku said and gave Axel a rough squeeze causing the redhead to grit his teeth angrily through the pinching.

"Let go."

"No. It's mine now."

"Let _go_."

"Why? I like it."

"_Let go_," the redhead growled and reached up to grab onto Riku's windpipe. Riku grinned and gave Axel a harsh twist, eliciting a pained yelp from the redhead before he clamped onto the other boy's throat. Riku didn't move. Large hands slid around Axel's neck and he was lifted away from Riku. He let out a cough and tried to scratch at the offending digits. He was turned to face Lexaeus and his eyes flew wide when he realized who it was. His pulse quickened through the squeezing and it was suddenly becoming much harder to breathe. He choked out a pained breath before his vision started to blur.

***

"Hi Axeeeellll," Sora said when the redhead opened his eyes. Axel let out a yelp of surprise because of the brunette's proximity to his face. Sora grinned. Axel half-expected to find himself in shackles again but he wasn't. He had one arm handcuffed with a long chain of slack to a support beam, but was otherwise free. Sora backed away from the redhead's face and he sat up in a very plush bed with silk sheets. "Welcome to Riku's little vacation home in Greece, buddy."

Axel touched his throat and swallowed to whet his aching pipes. "I'm not your buddy," he croaked. Sora smiled.

"Of course you are! You and I are tight," the brunette smiled and crossed his middle and index finger in a visual aid. "I mean we worked together for all of three hours! That was a long time. We've grown so close since then, haven't we?"

"Fuck off you little freak."

"Aw. That's not nice, it was my idea to keep you alive, and this is how you thank me?" Axel looked at him confusedly and moved to the edge of the bed before standing. He ignored the brunette and walked to a small window and saw that he was indeed across the street from Roxas' château. The blonde was standing outside talking frantically with Xigbar and pointing to the other house. Roxas started a violent bit of coughing and Xigbar patted him on the back. Sora stood next to Axel. "See? We're close by, no worries."

"Why am I here _this_ time?"

"Negotiation."

"For what?"

"You know all this already. I'm not going to repeat myself." Axel sighed. He considered punching the brunette in the face. He also considered punching out the window and yelling for Roxas. He then considered doing both, but then remembered that he was the victim here and should probably not make his problems worse. Sora smiled innocently at him and threw his arms around the redhead's waist in a tight hug. Axel kept his arms away.

"Get off of me," Axel said angrily.

"But you're so _cuddly_!"

"Get. Off."

Sora rubbed his cheek against Axel's sternum through his shirt. "But… but…"

"I'm going to punch you, now get off!"

"Fine. Then hit me." Axel sighed heavily and grabbed onto the brunette's arms and tried to pull him away. Sora was much stronger than he looked and he didn't budge. He grabbed onto his spiky head of hair and pulled backwards causing Sora to scream like it was the most erotic thing to have ever happen to him and the redhead immediately stopped. Sora blushed and rubbed against him again "do that again," he cooed, shaking is hips lightly.

"Augh! Get off of me!" Axel growled and brought up his knee to wedge in between them. He kicked the brunette off and stepped away. Sora smiled shyly at him and reached a hand down to rub idly at a growing erection the boy had in his shorts. Axel backed away from him some more with a disgusted look. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" he spat.

"I can't help it! You're just so intoxicating!" Sora said with a cracking voice, he held his face in between his hands and looked away, turning a deep crimson.

"Fine, whatever. You stay over there, I'm going over here," Axel said, walking around the bed to sit on the other side. "I will kick you if you come near me." Sora stayed put. The redhead sighed and ran a hand through his hair in thought. Negotiation? Would Roxas trade everything he had to get Axel back? Even if he did, Axel wouldn't be happy about it, he wasn't worth that much. His shoulders were tense and he rubbed them, willing the knots to disappear. He heard running steps from behind him before Sora vaulted himself across the bed and landed directly behind the redhead. Axel jumped up immediately, preparing to punt the little monster in the face.

"I was only going to rub your shoulders for you, you seem so stressed," Sora pouted.

"The best way for me to relax is to be away from you and your freak friend."

"Oh…well I'm sorry I can't do that for you. Riku would get angry with me. I have other stuff to help you relax though, hang on." Sora moved back across the bed and draped his torso over the side to dig under the bed and retrieve a small box. The brunette shuffled around its contents and pulled out a small baggie of pot and shook it at the redhead. Axel quirked a brow at him but stayed where he was. "Riku says you're allowed to do whatever, as long as you don't leave my room. So if you want to we could smoke together if you're into that," Sora smiled pleasantly.

"No thanks."

"Oh. Well, I'm going to. So go ahead and do what you want." Sora set out to roll himself a joint and Axel moved as far away as possible from him and sat on the floor against the wall. He took in his surroundings. The room was nicely furnished with light wood pieces and luxurious bed clothes, curtains, and carpeting. There were books, games, pieces of clothing, and other odds and ends scattered throughout as well. It was definitely Sora's bedroom, not a dungeon. The brunette clicked a lighter and held it to his face, catching Axel's attention. He moved off his bed and went to push the window open and lean out to smoke. "Hi Roxas!" Sora called across the way with a joyful wave.

_This kid is either really clueless or overly confident_, Axel thought to himself. He was hoping for the previous. The distinctly sweet smell of marijuana wafted his way after a moment and the hairs on his arms stood at attention as he gave the prospect of lighting up with Sora entirely too much thought. He grabbed onto a piece of hair and pulled hard to distract his thoughts. After a while of hanging out the window, Sora walked over to him and crouched to look in his eyes. The brunette took an inhale of his blunt and blew a cloud of smoke into Axel's face. The redhead glared at him and stood, walking away.

"You're so fussy, you know that? Relax! You're not going to die today," Sora offered with a lopsided smile.

"Fuck off," Axel stuck his head out the window and looked down. He was three stories high and wondered if his hand would break and slip through the cuffs if he jumped, and then he wondered if he would survive the fall. Roxas was still in the front yard across the way talking to Xigbar. The older man looked incredibly stressed and contemplative. He noticed Axel in the window and pointed him out to the blonde who looked at him with a solemn face. Axel held up his arm with the handcuffs and waved a little. Roxas waved back before coughing a few times.

"Aw, you guys are too cute," Sora said, causing the redhead to jump in surprise. He exhaled another cloud into Axel's face. The redhead took the blunt from the brunette and looked at him. Sora smiled, and Axel flicked it out the window. "Hey! That was mine!" he huffed. Sora looked legitimately angry before stomping out of the room.

Axel was by himself a good twenty minutes again before the door opened and Sora came in followed by Lexaeus. _Oh shit_, he thought to himself. He backed away from the pair but it was of little use because Lexaeus grabbed him easily and slammed him to the floor causing the redhead to see stars. Axel tried to resist the huge man but he couldn't do much but wiggle in place. Lexaeus held his arms open wide by the wrists and Sora smiled as he produced a small syringe.

"I read your record, Axel," Sora said calmly before poking at the bend of the redhead's elbow. Axel grunted with effort as he tried to pull himself away. "I know your preferences, Riku likes it too and he had no problem sharing." Sora positioned himself over a giant vein bulging out of Axel's arm.

"Wait! Stop! Please!" the redhead begged, and Sora hesitated. "What do you want?"

"All I wanted was for you to smoke with me and be my friend, but you ruined it. So I'm sorry, but you have to pay."

"No! Okay! I'll smoke with you, just don't do it, please," Axel spat with wide eyes frozen on the tip of the needle. Sora looked at him with a curious expression.

"Will Roxas throw you away if you start again? Toss you like a piece of garbage?" the brunette taunted.

"What? I have no idea!" Axel's mind was running wild with memories of detoxing at the Institute and knew he never wanted to go through that again. He never even considered Roxas' feelings on the ordeal. He would surely forgive him if it was forced, though. Hopefully.

"Well let's see, shall we?" Sora stuck him and Axel watched as his blood mixed with the clear liquid inside the plastic tube. The brunette depressed the plunger and stood. Lexaeus let him go as well and they both left. Axel's mind was frantic for all of a minute before he felt incredibly warm and all his worries melted away. He lay on Sora's _unbelievably_ soft carpet and stared at the ceiling peacefully. Suddenly Riku's face was over his body and Axel smiled stupidly at the other boy.

"Feeling good?" Riku asked. Axel didn't answer him, he just smiled. "Good." Then Riku was gone. Axel pushed himself up with shaky arms and looked around. He itched his arm idly and took in his surroundings. No one was with him, which made him sad. He was used to getting high with other people. The people were his entertainment, but being alone just made it seem depressing. He immediately perked up when he heard a cricket chirping from the open window. He shuffled himself across the carpet and laid his face in the windowsill.

"Axel? Axel!" came a voice from down below. Axel pushed himself to look over the edge and the world started to spin and jiggle with the effort. There was someone incredibly short calling him.

"You're a_ huge_ cricket, dude," Axel said squinting down at the blonde below him. He snorted and laughed stupidly and let himself slide off the window and back onto the floor. He was alone again. He suddenly felt very tired. He snuggled against the fibers and smiled at how soft they felt against his skin. He couldn't keep his eyes closed for more than a few minutes at a time before he would feel wide awake again and feel like doing something exciting. After a round of feeling awake he settled against the floor again and listened to the low rumble of conversation through the floor. He couldn't understand the words.

Everything was so _colorful_, and _shiny_. The world was a good place to be at this very moment in time. Axel hummed an off kilter song to himself as he watched the colors and happy lights dance across the walls of his fluffy prison. He felt warm and his skin tingled with butterfly kisses and rainbow hugs. It would've been better if there were people to play the parts of his giddy gnome friends and the prancing unicorns but the scenery was nice enough for now.

Sora came in again. He lay on the floor next to Axel. "Wow, your pupils are teeny tiny, my friend. They're almost cute," he moved their faces together which made the redhead's vision spin a little so he backed away. "Roxas is here. He and Riku are negotiating," Sora started to run his fingers through Axel's fiery hair and the redhead felt completely at ease, he closed his eyes. He felt lips against his forehead and opened his eyes to a view of Sora's neck. The brunette backed away from him and smiled. "I wonder how much you're worth to him." Axel was confused.

"Worth to who? What?" he stuttered. Sora laughed. Axel laughed right along with him.

"Aw you're adorable, I want to keep you," Sora said and pet Axel some more. There were voices outside of the door before it opened and Roxas moved across the room and shoved Sora away from the redhead.

"See? He's fine," Riku said from the doorway. Roxas looked Axel over with wide eyes and observed the small bruise in the bend of his elbow. He pulled the redhead's face from the carpet and looked in his eyes frantic to find something. Axel smiled. Roxas didn't.

"What the hell did you do to him?" Roxas growled before looking at Riku.

"Nothing. He was getting violent so we helped him calm down. He's fine."

"Can I keep him Roxxy?" Sora asked from behind the blonde. Roxas set Axel down gently before turning on the brunette. Sora watched the blonde expectantly. Roxas glared at him for a moment before spitting in his face causing Sora to flinch. "Ugh!" he exclaimed and wiped at himself.

"Alright alright that's enough," Riku said before crossing the room and hauling the blonde to his feet by his arm. Roxas wrenched his arm away from the other. Sora stood and glowered at the blonde. Axel felt heavy as he lay on the floor and watched Sora's feet. The group left quietly, leaving the redhead alone again.

He didn't want to be alone. He wanted the nice blonde to come back. He pushed himself up off the floor and panted to catch his breath. He groaned to himself with effort as he pulled himself into the silky bed, using his feet to shove himself towards the end. He sighed when he could lie against the fabric and feel the twitching of his muscles relax. He itched his arm again. He waited patiently and quietly for someone to come see him again, watching at the door eagerly.

***

He didn't remember falling asleep. But he woke up with the nice blonde sitting next to him. His mouth felt like a desert and he squinted at the effort of looking up at the boy. "Why so glum, sugar plum?" he said with a raspy voice. The blonde furrowed his brows in concern at him. Axel was vaguely aware of his surroundings.

"Are you okay?" Roxas sniffled.

"I'm fiiiiine," the redhead drawled. The blonde laid his ear against Axel's chest and the redhead giggled.

"No, you're not."

"Aw, sure I am!" he insisted. A man with black and white hair came through the door and peered down at Axel.

"We should get him somewhere safe to detox. I don't even know how bad it's going to be. He only had one stamp of the shit, but this is technically a relapse."

Axel opened his eyes wide and immediately became paranoid with cloudy comprehension. He clumsily shoved himself away from the looming man and fell off the other side of the bed, smacking his head against the floor with a resounding '_thud_.' He should have felt it but he didn't. He kept pushing himself away until he was against the wall. He hugged his knees to himself and tucked his head in. "Stay away from me!" he screamed. Neither of them made the effort to help him.

A delightful girl with brown hair came into the room and the older man handed her his phone before she dialed and started talking in gibberish, looking Axel over with concerned eyes. She said a few more things and gave the phone back to the man. The blonde stared off into space with a blank look.

"Why are you trying to kill me?" Axel pleaded at the blonde. The boy didn't say anything to him. He rose from the bed without a word and left, closing the door softly behind him. The man with the salt and pepper hair sat quietly and the girl left. It was nearly fifteen minutes later when there was a commotion outside of the door and several men in white came in with a gurney. Axel fought against grabbing hands but his efforts were easily thwarted when his muscles wouldn't listen to him. The men were speaking to each other in an alien language as Axel was strapped down and wheeled away. The blonde didn't even bother to see him go.

***

"Are you not going to see him?" Zexion asked.

"Not for a couple days, no," Roxas replied, his words hardly audible from the crook of his arm. He was sitting at his makeshift desk with his arms folded in front of him.

"It's been three days, you know. He would probably want to see you."

"Has it really been that long already?"

"Yes."

"I should have gone with him," Roxas said, burying his eyes in his bicep. "I should have taken him with me on site. I should have paid more attention to him instead of leaving him by himself. I should have… I should have pushed him to talk to me more. Now look what happened because of my negligence."

"You shouldn't blame yourself. Xigbar or I could have easily gone with him as well."

"Yes but he asked _me_. He wanted me to walk with him."

"You're sick, you can't be blamed."

"Sick with a damn cold, not typhoid," Roxas spat, sniffling against his dripping nose.

"I don't know what else to tell you, Roxas. I don't think this is your fault. I blame Riku, really."

"Have they made a move?"

"No."

"I don't know if I should give in."

"Axel wouldn't want you to."

Roxas looked at the slate-haired man before him. He considered his words carefully before nodding. "You're right."

"He's probably over the worst of the detox at this point, I would see him soon."

The blonde nodded. "You're driving."

***

Axel rested his head against the cold cinder block walls and sighed. He was tired of throwing up and having the shits. He was tired of his bones aching for no reason, and of his muscles twitching when he didn't want them to. He hated Riku, but now he hated Sora even more. It was personal now. Roxas hadn't come to visit him and he thought about what the brunette said about being tossed away like a piece of garbage.

An orderly came in to his cell and set a tray of indistinguishable food on his bedside table and stood to watch the redhead eat. Axel shook his head at the plain looking man who couldn't have been older than twenty five. The orderly said something Axel couldn't understand and held out a plastic spoon for him. Axel took the spoon and looked at it before throwing it across the room. The man sighed and took the tray and picked up the spoon and left.

Axel wanted to curl up into a ball and die. Everything he was trying to suppress was coming back to him in waves and it made sitting around with nothing to do a living hell. He shivered as a sudden cold shock took him and he pulled the thin blanket off his bed and wrapped it around himself. He wore it like a hood and tried to shrink into himself, tried to disappear. He hid his face in his hands and tried to calm himself as waves of memories flew through his mind. His father. His mother. Selphie. Leon. So much blood. The smell of pennies. Nausea overtook him again and he sprinted his way to the toilet and hoisted up the meager contents of his stomach.

He laid himself on the tile with quaking arms. He was sweating, but he felt so very cold. He hugged himself to try and keep his body heat from escaping. It was only the second time throwing up today so maybe he was almost done. He looked at the bed suspiciously. It was so far away and he was exhausted. That damn bed was out to get him, he was sure of it. The door opened again and a white pair of shoes walked to him and stopped, looking down at him. He was pulled to his wobbly feet and led to the bed again and settled in. A pill was thrust in his face with a small cup of water. He took it without question and laid back. Eventually the insignificant blanket was replaced over him and he curled up into a ball, waiting for the next time he would have to make it to the bathroom.

The orderly left. Axel was alone for a great deal of time and only threw up once more, which he was almost proud of. The door opened and he didn't bother turning to look at the person this time before speaking, knowing full well that no one would understand him.

"I'm not hungry, go away," he grumbled.

"Okay fine," Roxas said. Axel startled and looked over his shoulder. The blonde stood next to the bed with his arms crossed, looking upset. Zexion stood in the open doorway with the orderly, watching carefully.

"Sorry for not rising to meet you but I feel like shit," Axel said as he laid his head on the pillow again, his bones were screaming at him, calling him an idiot for walking by himself four days ago. Roxas rounded the bed and pressed his lips to Axel's forehead.

"I can see that, you _look _like shit."

Axel pulled the blanket over his head "you're so nice to me," he said sarcastically. Roxas gave the cover a yank, exposing Axel's face. The redhead grunted unhappily.

"Don't hide from me," he ordered.

"Just leave me be, please." Axel felt around for the blanket and took it out of Roxas' hand and pulled it up again. The blonde sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry this time?"

"I'm sorry for leaving you by yourself," Roxas said angrily.

"You didn't do anything wrong."

Roxas rubbed his face, his shoulders were heavy with the feeling of guilt and he was getting irritated because of it. "Don't argue with me just accept it or deny it."

"I deny your apology. You didn't do anything."

"Just. Stop," Roxas said. Axel looked at him then, pulling the covers away. The blonde looked tired and beaten. He looked into Axel's eyes with a harshness that the redhead hadn't seen on his face in a long while. "It's my fault," he said simply. Axel didn't say anything. "It's my fault that everything's happened to you on this trip. We should have left once we realized they were across the street. It was foolish of me to think they had any sense of morality."

Axel tried to change the subject when in reality he just wanted to tell the blonde off so he could try to sleep. "What happened to them?" Roxas had to rework his thought process before speaking.

"Nothing. I paid their terms and they let us take you away," he said with a downtrodden face. Axel's heart sunk, he tried his best to maneuver himself to sitting upright, it took some effort but he was successful.

"How much?"

"I'm not going to tell you that."

"Damnit, Roxas," the redhead said and glared at the blonde. Roxas presented a blank face for him before standing straight and re-folding his arms. The unknown didn't sit well with Axel. He was angry at the blonde for even considering giving into anything pertaining to Riku. The stress did nothing but hurt him more; made him want to get back home so he could call what's-her-face and get another stamp, to feel the euphoria again, the happiness that came with having nothing to care about.

"Axel," Roxas said quietly. The redhead hadn't realized it but he was staring off into space with his contemplation. He was blank. Angry, craving, and blank.

"Do me a favor."

"What is it?"

"Get out."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Roxas opened a cabinet and took out a glass in attempts to find something to drink. He looked at the cup in his hands and turned it several ways to take in its entire form. The glass was symmetrical, well made with no bubbles to speak of. He was envious of it simplicity, its perfectness. Its characteristics were so unlike his own life he quickly became angry at the object and hurled it into the refrigerator door; obliterating it.

"Opa?" Olette asked, looking up from her seat. Roxas took out a plate this time and ran his hands over it before launching it at the appliance as well. Olette jumped from her seat and went to try and console her friend. Xigbar rounded the corner with a curious face followed shortly by Zexion. Roxas brushed Olette off quickly before smashing another dish.

"We need to eat off those, you know," Xigbar said, putting his hands on Roxas' shoulders. The blonde tried to shrug him off and grab for another plate but the older man stopped him and picked him up easily, holding him tight against his chest. Roxas fought against the grasp but remembered the same stance they were doing from his childhood and quickly gave in. "Are you done?" Xigbar asked. Roxas nodded and the man walked out of the kitchen and set him down on the couch. Olette left to retrieve a broom and dustpan.

"It's been three days, Xigbar," the blonde grumbled. His cold had dissipated to little more than a case of the sniffles.

"I know."

"Why won't he accept visitors?"

"I don't know."

"Why does everything I touch break apart?"

"Because you throw them against the refrigerator," Xigbar said quickly. Roxas glared up at him.

"You know what I meant."

"I know, but you didn't break this one."

"Oh I didn't?"

"No, Riku did."

"Who broke Riku then?"

"I have no idea, but not you. You didn't talk to him for almost two years; you couldn't possibly have known what he was doing."

"Exactly! Negligence! That's what I do. I ignore the problem, it blows up in my face, I suck it up, and I move on without any more thought. That's how it works and it sucks and I hate myself for it."

"Okay emo kid, you go ahead an wallow in your self pity, I'm going to over there and be a man about it and work to make it better," Xigbar said before turning to leave, Roxas' hand shot out and grabbed his wrist.

"I'm sorry."

"You're always sorry, Roxas. You say he's refusing visitors but you haven't even tried to go see him. Yeah he refused you once, but you can wave some money at someone and force your way in, you did it the first time. What changed?"

"I… I don't know."

"That's right. Now come on, I'm tired of your angsty bullshit. Get in the car."

***

Axel stared intently at an English to Greek dictionary. It was quickly proving itself useless because he knew nothing about the Greek alphabet. His translator, a tall lanky woman named Aegea, was nice enough to sit around with him and keep him company. Apparently not many English speaking foreigners get sent to clinics in her area so she was happy to have a client to oblige. Axel was satisfied just to be near someone who didn't speak gibberish at him all day. She wasn't assigned to, but she was serving as a kind of therapist for the boy. He moved his hand to turn a page of his dictionary and winced when his IV pinched him.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

"I'm trying my best to think of nothing," he said simply.

"Oh? That must be hard."

"It is."

"You're allowed to think about things. I encourage it."

"I'm thinking that I need to stop thinking because thinking is what got me into this mess. I was thinking too much and decided to go for a walk. I _wasn't_ thinking when I got distracted and that's when I was taken places I didn't want to go. So at any rate, this is a lose-lose for me."

Aegea smiled, "seems like a problem. What are your plans?"

"When I get home I'll probably leave the house I'm staying in. I don't want to be anyone's burden anymore and it's best if things just fade away. I'll figure something out," he set the book on his lap and looked at her. "Is it wrong of me to want to end this?"

"End what? Your recovery? Your housing situation? Your… life?"

"Everything."

"Everything is a lot to end. Are you sure you will be happy that way?"

"If I overdose it won't matter," he picked the book up again and flipped another page. Aegea's expression didn't change.

"You want to start with the heroin again?"

"I think about it constantly now. I only did every now and again before, but having a little taste again is driving me nuts. The methadone helps but it isn't permanent."

"You do not have methadone at home?"

"I do, but I don't know if I'd have the will power to go to clinic every day to get it. Not when the alternative is so readily available," Axel swallowed thickly at the thought of contacting the mousy girl named Willow again for his fix; he had finally remembered her name. Now it was all too easy to dial her number and meet up with her again, if only he had a plane to fly home in.

"Perhaps transferring to a clinic back home is best?"

"I could."

"What is stopping you?" she asked in a careful tone. Axel considered her words for a moment. He itched his arm idly, being mindful of his IV line. He shrugged.

"Aside from the obvious situation of me not having the money to pay for my own ticket home? I don't know. Fear? Shame?"

"Maybe you should give it a try anyway. What is the worst that happens? You were already prepared to overdose and die weren't you? What is the harm in trying?"

"It sounds so selfish to hear it that way."

"Well it_ is_ selfish of you. You go through this whole ordeal with your friend and you're just going to give up and die without a second thought? You haven't even properly mourned your situation, how do you expect to die with any dignity? Any tact? Did you not think about him and his situation?" Axel looked at the woman with mild shock. This was the most she'd said to him since he met her a few days before.

"What do you think I should do?"

"I am not a professional, but I haven't seen you show any sort of emotion other than this contempt for yourself, it is pitiful," she said simply and crossed her arms over her slight chest. Axel pondered her words seriously for a moment. He couldn't remember the last time he felt much aside from the primal instincts of horniness, anger, fear, and on occasion complacency. He was content when he was around Roxas but he couldn't admit to himself that he had allowed himself _happiness_. Maybe Aegea had a point. He was acting pitiful.

"I… you're right."

"You want to know what else I think?"

"What's that?"

"I think you should let Roxas see you."

"Somehow I knew you would say that."

"Why are you hesitant?"

"We just had a nice discussion about how I'm pitiful and you have to ask me that? Isn't it obvious?"

"You've been here almost a week, Axel. Your detox was finished days ago and you're free to go any time now. Do you not miss him?"

"Of course I do!" he shouted, he was getting frustrated with the woman now. What she said was true though. His time in the tiny clinic wasn't as horrible as he made himself think it was. The taste Sora had given him had awakened old behaviors in him that scared him, made him paranoid and reclusive. He had stirred up the redhead's cravings with a power drill and set him back to where he began in his recovery almost a year and a half ago. But he did it once, could he do it again? Would Roxas serve as his crutch?

"Should I call him for you?"

Axel thought about it for a moment, "I have a better idea."

***

Zexion was busy talking with the woman at the front desk of the clinic. Roxas was slowly growing more impatient by the second. This process was taking entirely too long for him. He wanted to see Axel, and see him _now_. The redhead wasn't going to hide from him he refused to let him fizzle out under whatever problems he had. He had assured the blonde that he wouldn't let him go it alone, right? Well then why was Axel being so obstinate? The secretary behind the desk pulled a phone to her ear and dialed before waiting for an eternal minute. She said something into the receiver and nodded a few times and hung up. She and Zexion had some dialogue before the man came over to Roxas.

"He's gone," he said with a straight face. Roxas' heart sunk.

"Gone? As in he died?"

"Died? No! No, he left."

Roxas let out a breath, "don't do that!" he punched the other man in the shoulder and Zexion smirked.

"I'm sorry. I misspoke."

Roxas ignored his apology and was dialing Xigbar's number into his phone. "Axel's out. I don't know where he went," he said calmly.

"He's standing right in front of me," Xigbar replied from the other end.

"What? Why didn't you call and tell me?"

"Because he just walked in two minutes ago."

***

Roxas kicked Axel in the shin as hard as he could. "You bastard! You ignore me for three days and then you leave without telling me? What were you thinking?" The redhead glared at the blonde and rubbed his leg.

"I was thinking how I never memorized your number and I didn't have my phone on me. My chart only had the address on it, honest!" he said in retaliation. "As for not wanting to see you, I'm sorry. I just wasn't ready yet. I had a nice talk with a lady who wasn't hired to help me outside of the language barrier and she made me see what an idiot I am, so you can call her and thank her. I'm going to bed," he said gruffly and headed up the stairs without any further encouragement. He felt emotionally drained and exhausted from not eating very much. Being near Roxas and knowing that everything wasn't falling apart anymore made dealing with his mental stability (or lack thereof) a little easier. The chaos of the last week was taking its toll though, and he wasn't exactly happy with Roxas' abusive greeting either.

His room was exactly the way he had left it. He looked out his window and saw that Riku's house looked empty. There wasn't a car to be seen, no activity, no lights on, just a nothingness that suggested that they had pulled out quickly and efficiently. Did Roxas not call the police? Or had he and they were all taken into custody? He didn't have the energy to think anymore and stripped his clothing off and submerged himself amongst the blankets.

He couldn't sleep. He should have been able to, but he couldn't. He slept very little while at the clinic at first because of his nausea and other issues but eventually because he had an overwhelming feeling of worthlessness and self pity. This time around, he had a combination of the two. He felt the worthlessness and the nausea while he thought of Riku and Sora living it up with whatever money or possessions Roxas had given them in exchange for his pathetic life. While in Greece, he wouldn't be able to find any fuel for his addiction but once he got home it was going to be a whole other ball game. Hopefully three weeks of sobriety and peaceful thinking in the foreign place was enough to get Axel away from his aching head and the _'need more tingly'_ feeling, it was already getting old.

He tried to burrow himself under the excessive pillows and think of something else. He wasn't getting anywhere fast. He needed something to occupy himself. He flung himself out of the bed and decided to sit in the shower until the hot water ran out. The scenery in the bathroom, for whatever reason seemed very surreal to him. The steam swirling out above the glass door of the generous shower played mind tricks with him. It reminded him of unhealthy habits and things he would be doing if he wasn't where he was right at that instant, everything reminded him of it.

He tried to concentrate on things he could do once he got out of the shower. He contemplated calling his mother and telling her about Greece but then remembered that she was dead. _Wow, that sucks_, Axel realized. He glared at the tile for being such an asshole, for forgetting that his mother was dead in all the turmoil. He shouldn't blame the tile for being an asshole, he should blame himself. He hugged his knees and felt the pitter patter of water seep through is hair and wash it forward over his face like a curtain. He sighed and for the first time since she died; Axel actually thought about his mother and _missed_ her. He had always been upset that she was gone but never sat around and thought about how much emptier he felt when he knew he couldn't talk to her anymore.

_Damn_, he thought. He wouldn't hear her call him 'sweets' or 'baby' anymore. She wouldn't nag him for smoking anymore. He couldn't help her weed the front flower beds when her knees hurt anymore. He couldn't attempt to help her cook and fail miserably anymore. They couldn't do the dishes together anymore and she wouldn't be there to encourage him to meet new people. He was by himself. He had no other family; no one to sit around with during the holidays and talk about how '_you remembered last year when…?_' and no one to take family pictures with. No family reunions. No one to remember how cute he was when he was two. No one to remind him of the time he ran through the front yard in his diapers, and no one to remind him that he wasn't a complete and utter failure to himself. He was alone.

He sniffled, and the noise was so abrupt over the pouring water that he realized that he was crying. He wiped at his eyes before he could recall that he was in fact in the shower and it didn't matter. The water was starting to run a little one the cool side and he reached up to turn the knob to the warmer end and discovered it was already as far as it would go. He swallowed thickly and tried his best to push his sopping hair back into its normal place before the water turned frigid. He took two towels out of the cupboard and wrapped up his hair and tied one around his waist. He looked at himself in the mirror. _I need to gain some serious weight,_ he thought before exiting.

Roxas was sitting on his bed neatly. "You were in there forever. I considered breaking the door in and seeing if you had drowned."

"I would be some sort of serious retard if I drowned in the shower." He moved across the room and dug into a dresser to find a pair of pajama pants. He dropped his towel and Roxas cleared his throat. Once he pulled his pants on he turned to face the blonde who was blushing and looking away. "Sorry but my modesty flew out the window when I decided to spend a week in a clinic with people who don't even speak English watch me bathe and shave making sure I didn't kill myself," he said with just a hint of anger.

"It's fine."

"Good. If you'll excuse me, I need something that isn't powdered to eat," and with that, Axel left the blonde. He wasn't in the mood to talk about his _feelings_ or his _problems_. He was irritable and guilt ridden, having put Roxas through so much. Because of that guilt the blonde was the last person he wanted to see. Olette smiled at him when he entered the kitchen.

"Xigbar and Zexion left a little bit ago. They said something about loose ends? I don't know what that means. Are you hungry?"

"I'm starved," he said and sat in a stool that was pulled up to the high countertop. Olette went to work digging around in the refrigerator for something and shuffling around things in the pantry. Roxas eventually wandered in and sat next to him. Axel laid his arms on the counter and rested his face in them.

"Are you not going to talk to me?"

"There isn't anything to talk about," he said hoping to end it there. Olette muttered to herself as she held a bottle of something to her face, reading the label.

"I think there is plenty to talk about."

"Please, Roxas, I'm done for today," he sat back and unfolded his hair from the towel and rubbed it absently. He stuck a finger in his ear to get the excess water out and balled the cloth up on the counter to rest his head on. Roxas sighed. The blonde looked hesitant but stood and walked out quietly. Olette set a plate in front of Axel with a glass of red wine. She smiled and followed Roxas out, leaving the redhead to eat in peace.

***

The blonde was in Axel's bed when he came back upstairs. He didn't say anything and headed straight for the bathroom to brush his teeth and hang up his towel. Once he was finished he brushed his damp hair and headed back out. Roxas was already snuggled into the covers and only the top spikes of his hair peeked out from the top of the comforter, giving a signal as to who was there. The redhead wasn't sure he wanted Roxas to sleep with him that evening. Normally it was comforting to have a warm body next to him but he had an overwhelming sense of guilt he couldn't ignore and Roxas was the root of that feeling.

He stood at the edge of the bed looking at the blonde and eventually Roxas turned over and peered up at him with giant sapphire eyes. Those eyes were the things that made Axel melt whenever Roxas put them to good use and he quickly lost his resolve, shoving himself under the blankets with him. He sighed and stood again and went to turn off the light he had forgotten about. By the time he got back to the bed, Roxas was sitting up and watching him. The sun was barely setting and it wasn't necessarily bedtime but Axel felt like he could sleep for another month. He hesitated at the bedside again.

"I can leave," Roxas said and moved to the opposite side and stood. He was making his way around the bed and towards the door between their rooms; without thinking, Axel met him halfway and pulled him into a firm hug. They both heaved a sigh. Axel buried his face in Roxas' feathery hair and inhaled his scent. It was a comforting thing to be with the blonde again after all. Since they came to Greece, he really didn't get to see him much outside of the evening when Roxas came home and passed out in his bed almost instantly. Of course, when Roxas had finished with his work, he had gotten sick and then genius Axel decided to go wander off on his own. "I'm sorry," Roxas said after a long silence.

_Here we go again_, Axel thought. "What for?"

"For kicking you."

_Oh_. "That's okay, I deserved it."

"You did," the blonde added in agreement. Axel couldn't even smile at the quip. His guilt wasn't any lighter. He let go of Roxas and pulled him over the bed by his hand gently and slid into the covers again, the blonde following suit. They immediately entangled one another in a mass of arms and legs, Axel winning the battle simply because of the size difference and ended up holding Roxas to his chest tightly.

"I missed you," the redhead admitted without thinking about it.

"I missed you too," the blonde responded and sniffled deeply. It took Axel a moment to notice that Roxas was crying. He backed away from the blonde and pulled his face up to meet his. Roxas' chin quivered and he sniffed again before wedging himself into Axel's neck. "I was so worried," he croaked. The redhead didn't know how to react. He had never seen Roxas cry like this before and it bothered him to know that he was the cause of it. Roxas usually got angry, not sad. He cried when he was immensely scared of something, usually pertaining to Riku, but nothing having to do with Axel. Suddenly his guilt felt insurmountably heavier and he smashed the boy to him, eliciting a small grunt from him.

"I'm sorry," Axel said and planted a kiss on his forehead. Roxas sniffed again and nodded.

"I forgive you," he said, he heaved a shuddering sigh, "you can pay be back by never leaving me alone again."

Axel smiled and nodded. "Sounds fair."

***

Axel awoke with half of Roxas draped over his stomach. At some point during the night the blonde had shifted from laying next to him, to having his legs over him. The rest of him was haphazardly sprawled across the bed, in a very not-Roxas fashion. The redhead noticed the bags under the blonde's eyes and wondered how much sleep he had gotten over the course of the last week but was betting it wasn't much. The sun was up and it illuminated his hair like a coppery halo. He was tempted to dig around for his phone and take a picture but was sure it would lead to another kick in the shin.

He poked Roxas in the thigh a few times and when the blonde didn't move he sat up and hoisted him up by the arm and dragged the blonde to lie on his chest. With his new, slightly heavier, blanket in place Axel reclined back and sighed contentedly. He itched his arm and quickly stopped himself. He stuck his face into the blonde's hair to distract his thoughts from the unhealthy ones and apparently that's what it took to wake him up. Roxas groaned sleepily and blinked a few times against the sunlight. He pushed himself up and looked down at Axel with a raised brow.

"Good morning," he said groggily and looked around before realizing where he was. "How did I get up here?" he asked.

"You're such a horny bastard you were trying to take me in my sleep. I'm flattered," Axel said with a small smile, the itch in the back of his head faded a little.

"Oh, I didn't mean to, I'm sorry," Roxas said without missing a beat. He pulled himself off to the side of Axel and sat up with a stretch. "It certainly feels like I was sleeping on something hard and lumpy."

"I'm not lumpy, thank you. I'm… textured."

"I can agree with that," the smaller boy said. Axel shifted and curled himself around Roxas and laid his head in the other boys lap. Roxas ran his fingers through his crimson mane and the redhead sighed. "What's gotten into you?"

"I'm doing what I promised and not leaving you alone."

"Oh. Well I may need a moment to myself as I need to use the restroom." Roxas moved out from under him and made his way to the bathroom. Axel lazily slid himself across the bed and draped over the side, feeling the blood rush to his face. The blonde came back and looked down at him with a confused expression. "Now what are you doing?"

"I'm not sure."

"Okay then," there was plenty of space on either side of the redhead but Roxas opted to ignore that fact and lifted a leg and crawled down Axel length wise to get into the bed. Axel waited until the blonde was out of the way and he pulled his feet over his head in a lopsided somersault and stood. He was a little lightheaded as everything turned upright but he wobbled his way to the bathroom anyway. He went about his regular routine but checked his arms for any signs of bruising. The initial bruise in the bend of his arm was gone but there were still a couple from the IVs on his hands. He itched his arm again.

Roxas' pajama top was discarded in a heap next to the bed. The blonde himself was tucked under the blankets. Axel raised an eyebrow and tried his best to sneak to the bed in an effort to jump on the boy and scare him. Roxas noticed him though and he casually finished the distance between them and slid into the bed. The blonde immediately shoved his way to their previous position with Roxas lying on his torso; he watched Axel's face intently. The redhead smiled a little and kissed his nose.

"I know you hate it but you are really fucking cute, you know that?"

"I can deal with 'fucking' cute," Roxas said calmly. Axel laughed and hugged him. Roxas laid his face on the redhead's chest. After a moment of peaceful silence, Roxas sat up and traced a finger across the subtle newly formed lines of Axel's ribcage. The redhead could see the concern laced in the blonde's eyes and he pushed himself up and reached a hand up to pull Roxas to him. The smaller boy rested his forehead against the redhead's and peered into his eyes. He let out a breath through his nose before leaning in and locking their lips together with a sudden desperation he felt to make sure that Axel was okay.

The pair were vaguely aware of a voice coming from somewhere. They were mostly focused on each other and only broke their kiss when the door between their bedrooms was flung open.

"Mon Dieu!" Olette cried out and threw her hands up to cover her eyes. "I'm so sorry!" she sputtered nervously. She turned her back on the pair and tried to forget what she saw. Roxas blushed wildly and moved off of Axel, leaving the redhead to his sheepish grin. The blonde quickly pulled on his pajama top and went to the girl. She peeked over her shoulder before facing him again.

"What did you need?" Roxas asked as composed as he could be. Axel sat on the edge of the bed, watching. Olette looked at the redhead then back to Roxas and blushed a little with her own thoughts.

"There is something on the news you need to see," she said through her jitters. Axel stood and followed them both out into the hallway and down into the living room where Zexion and Xigbar were sitting on the couch staring at the television. Roxas and Olette sat in the available spaces and Axel stood behind them.

"What are they saying?" Roxas asked. A bleached blonde female reporter with enormous curls was standing in front of a gate in the airport talking into her microphone. Behind her was a scene that looked like it was automobile accident on the highway, minus the cars. Paramedics were desperately trying to care for someone who was lying motionless on the floor. Suddenly the reporter stopped talking as the commotion picked up and the body on the floor started to thrash around in random spurts of movement. Zexion leaned forward and tried to dissect the conversation the reporter was having with her crew.

"It's Sora," Xigbar said quietly. Roxas looked to him quickly before turning back to the television. Zexion held up a hand for silence.

"Apparently they were there to do a segment on airport security and a big uproar started around someone having a seizure. They were able to get up close to him before the paramedics came. It is in fact Sora," the slate-haired man said.

"Where is Riku?" Roxas asked.

"We haven't seen him. He seems to be by himself." The paramedics pulled the gurney up with Sora's distinct head of spikes bobbing up out of the clamor of restraints and tubes, and hands. Axel didn't know weather or not to be joyful or upset. He never thought that the boy might have had a legitimate medical problem. That maybe his acting out was his way of living his final days with whatever terminal disease he might have. Maybe he had AIDS for all Axel knew. He didn't think AIDS caused seizures, though.

Roxas swallowed thickly. "Maybe I should go see him."

"Why would you do that?" Axel asked.

"He _was _my friend at one point. I am also curious; maybe if Riku tossed him away, he'd be willing to disclose some information."

"Good plan. You're so smart," Axel said with a grin. Roxas smiled. Almost like a flash, the redhead was reminded that the house across the street seemed empty. If Sora wasn't there, it was likely Riku wasn't there, and if Riku was gone so too would the giant Lexaeus. If anything was left… Axel pulled on a piece of hair to distract himself. _No no no no, not okay_, he thought frantically to himself. His hands started to sweat a little and he rubbed his face. He took to pulling his hair into his mouth to chew on, but it was useless; he needed something more. He hadn't realized it but Zexion was watching him with mild curiosity.

The redhead started to pace with his mental battles and eventually ended up towards the back of the room, staring out the window at the back yard. His hands were starting to shake a little as he tried his best to look like he was in deep thought about Sora, not breaking and entering. He didn't have a coach to talk to this time around and it was proving itself to be an even steeper uphill battle. He needed to get back to the clinic. Unbeknownst to the redhead, Zexion had nudged Roxas and nodded in his direction; the blonde made his way to Axel and stood in front of him, looking up expectantly. It took him a few minutes to realize the smaller boy was there.

"Roxas."

"Axel?"

"Olette?" he said and turned to see the girl.

"Yes?"

"Can you guys take me back to the clinic?" Immediately Roxas became concerned and took the redhead's shaking hands in his own. His reaction surprised Axel but then he realized he never explained the recommended treatment for his problems. "I just need to take another methadone. It'll be three minutes."

***

The clinic, as it just so happened, was only about four miles from the hospital Sora was staying at. The string of news vans and photo journalists lined the streets making it even more difficult to traverse the roads. Axel's mind had become less weighted after taking his methadone and Roxas relaxed a little. The relaxation was offset by Olette's insane driving though and both boys were white knuckling the car doors. She hummed happily to some gibberish music on the radio and occasionally slammed on the breaks to yell out profanities at other passing motorists.

It took them over an hour to find a parking spot in the hospital's lot. The mob of reporters asking incessant questions about the little foreign boy who was locked inside made it extremely difficult to push their way in. The turmoil heightened when Roxas showed up though, as apparently they knew who he was. Olette yelled at the photographers in four out of her six languages and batted them away from the blonde, who was walking as quickly but as calmly as he could. Axel trailed behind them the occasional flash of a camera causing him to see spots.

"Holy Jesus on high that was awful," Axel panted when they were finally in the lobby. Olette made her way to the front desk and struck up a conversation with a very plump woman.

"Axel?" called a familiar voice from down the hallway.

"Aegea?" he said when she came into view. She hugged him briefly and kissed him on either cheek. He smiled. She looked to the blonde.

"This is Roxas?"

"Yes ma'am," the blonde said politely. "And you are?"

"This is Aegea, my not-therapist translator," Axel said. The woman hugged the blonde briefly and gave him the same greeting.

"This is the one I should to thank then?" Roxas asked. It took the redhead a moment to remember what he meant by that. Axel nodded. Aegea looked a little confused but didn't say anything. Before she could react, Roxas launched himself forward and wrapped his arms around the woman's neck tightly. She blinked a few times but reciprocated his motion. The blonde emitted a heavy sigh, "thank you."

"You are welcome?" she said, a little unsure what to make of the scenario but quickly recovered when they pulled away from each other. "Why are you two here?"

"The little brown haired kid from the airport is here, right? We're here to see him," Axel said.

"I was called in to be his translator but he hasn't woken up yet. You know him personally?"

"He's a… friend, from back home." Roxas hesitated. Axel wasn't going to try and argue with him, though he wasn't exactly thrilled with the terminology used. Aegea nodded in comprehension. Olette joined up with them. The two women were introduced and the situation was re-explained to her.

"Do you know where Sora was headed?" Roxas asked.

"His boarding pass said he was headed for Turkey," the translator suggested.

"Why did he have a seizure?"

"That I don't know, but if you want to try and convince someone you're close to him, you could probably find out," Roxas nodded and looked to Olette and they exchanged a silent conversation before heading off together. Axel waited patiently with Aegea.

"Is this the Sora you told me about?" she asked after a moment of silence.

"Yeah."

"This must be divine retribution for you?"

"Eh… I'm having a hard time getting angry at him right now. I can't tell if that's because he's helpless right now or if it's because I wanted to kill him myself." He looked at her and she offered him a reassuring smile like she understood everything so easily but Axel doubted that she did.

"I think I would feel the same way. It's been a week for you, though; the flames may have died a little, yes?"

"It's not exactly instant gratification, yeah. I've been distracted with my own problems too much to think about the cause of them."

"The battle is hard. I have confidence you will pull through, though."

"Thanks."

Roxas rounded the corner again followed by Olette and a doctor. He and the brunette girl were talking quietly to each other. "Let's go," Roxas said, taking the redhead's hand. Aegea followed them as the group was lead back into the hospital. They were taken through a series of hallways and stopped at a window. Roxas cupped his hands on the glass to cut down on the glare. Axel did the same.

Sora was lying on a bed, his face contorted in a scowl. He had an oxygen mask on and he was creating small puffs of steam on the plastic cup with his labored breathing. He was hooked up to a series of monitors and tubes that created a webbing of silicone around him. A nurse was placed at his side to keep watch.

"He is unstable," Olette said. "They think it is heroin overdose." Roxas backed away from the glass with a frown.

"Sora didn't do heroin. He smoked pot and he drank, but not much else," the blonde said.

"I agree. He doesn't look like he's been doing it for a long time if he has been," Axel added, still looking the boy over through the glass. "I can't see any marks on his arms, either. Maybe he snorted it?" the redhead was genuinely curious. The irony of the situation was in no way subtle.

"I don't want to talk about methodology, please," Roxas said, rubbing his temples in thought. Axel didn't apologize.

"I would bet the contents of my wallet that he is a… a…" Aegea stuttered and spat some gibberish at Olette who looked contemplative before blurting out what the woman had meant.

"A mule, a trafficker," she said. "Heroin is very big in Turkey. If anything, I think our friend Riku is there waiting for him."

"If he is, leave him there," Roxas said, running a hand over his face. "I'm not about to get involved with drug lords in Turkey. I can give what we know about him to the police but other than that, I'm done. I can't do this anymore," he said with a tired face. Axel agreed with him but kept watch on the brunette in the bed. It never occurred to him that maybe the boy was being used. He always seemed so willing to please Riku, maybe he was delusional.

"Do you think Xemnas knows what his son is up to?" Axel asked after a moment of silence.

"I doubt it. Xemnas is shady, but he believes in independence for his only son," Roxas said. "Maybe we should call him, that'd be weird."

"I can hear the conversation now, 'oh yeah your sons' fuck buddy is in the hospital for having a few condoms of heroin explode in him, I wonder where Riku is? You have any idea?' Yeah he'd _totally_ go for that."

Roxas shrugged. "It's worth a try. I almost want to do it just to see if he'd believe me."

The foursome's attention was brought back to the room on the other side of the glass. Sora's body was quaking heavily and his nurse was checking him and looking at his monitors. The lines and blips on the screens seemed frantic but they couldn't hear anything through the window. Sora's shaking became more frantic and hazardous and his nurse started to pull the curtain closed around them. The group was ushered away from the window just as a team of nurses and doctors rushed into the room.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The waiting room was more like a waiting cubicle. Three other families were crushed into the tiny area with them. To conserve space, Roxas sat on Axel's lap and scrolled through his e-mail on his Blackberry. Olette was perched on the floor in front of them leaning against the redhead's legs. Aegea had left them to hang around Sora's room and wait to be useful. Roxas sniffled.

"Goody. I graduated," he said plainly.

"That's awesome, you should be happier," Axel said. He bounced his legs a few times and Roxas smacked him on his knee to get him to stop. The few people around them were whispering to each other and watching the display. Olette hummed contentedly to herself.

"Namine says hello, by the way," he added after a moment. He turned a little and held the device out to Axel who took it and squinted at the tiny lettering. He nodded and handed it back. Roxas pulled his glasses off his face and handed them down to Olette who took them and put them in her purse. Axel sat back in the chair and Roxas leaned back against him.

"So bored," Axel said. Roxas flicked through a few screens on his Blackberry and handed it to Axel. "Awesome," he said and started to play Tetris.

"How long have we been here?" Olette asked. Roxas turned and looked at the clock.

"Four hours."

"It feels like it has been so much longer."

"You'll have that. I wonder if the media is still outside."

"We could go check."

"Tempting, but I don't want to incite a riot," Roxas said and laid his head against Axel's chest. After a while, a couple of the families had been called out and replaced with new ones. A mother brought two children with her, a young girl and an older looking boy who was maybe in his early teens. The girl was fascinated with Olette's earrings and the contents of her purse and they sat on the floor together happily chatting away in girl-themed gibberish that Axel didn't care to understand. Roxas was about to slip into a light doze when the older boy came over to the pair with curious eyes. He started to talk in a low voice, prompting Olette to turn her attention away from the boy's sister.

"He's asking Axel if his tattoos hurt when he got them," she piped. Axel raised an eyebrow and focused on the boy instead of Roxas' Blackberry. The boy fidgeted under the redhead's gaze and Axel tried to give him a nice smile. He nodded.

"Very much so," he said and Olette followed him with Greek. The boy looked to Olette then to Axel. He said something again.

"He wants to know if Roxas is your brother," Olette said with a bright smile. Axel fought the urge to laugh and instead let out a small snort in the effort. The boy's mother quickly chimed in with a stern tone at the boy which prompted Olette to speak to her briefly and the boy looked down at his shoes. He went to go sit with his mother who hefted a book bag onto her lap and dug through to find her son a text book. Axel went back to his game but was quickly becoming cross-eyed from watching the tiny blocks for so long. He exited the game and handed the device back to Roxas.

"I wonder why he would think we're brothers, we look nothing alike," Roxas said.

"Well I'm sure he's come across more adopted families than he has gay couples, if we tell him we're brothers he'd probably ask where we're from," Axel said, wrapping an arm around Roxas' shoulders. He caught the boy looking at them out the corners of his eyes. Axel smiled at him and the boy blushed and looked back to his book. "This is the first time since we've been here that I've been glad to have the language barrier."

Roxas nodded, "me too." Axel slouched in his chair and laced his fingers together around the blonde and leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes. The little girl started to giggle with Olette and he ignored them. There was a moment of silence and the redhead heard movement next to him in the next chair, he assumed someone was sitting next to him so he didn't react. A small finger pushed into his cheek and he opened an eye to see the little girl peering at him curiously, her enormous hazel eyes unwavering.

The mother started to bark at the girl angrily in gibberish but Axel held up a hand to signal to her that it was fine. Roxas pushed himself up to sit straight and look at the girl. She was all of about five years old and she daintily fixed her pink skirt around her and smiled at the pair. She looked between them for a moment before she asked something and Olette burst into laughter. The girl looked at the brunette.

"She just asked if Roxas is your wife, Axel," she said. The mother started to blush and put a hand to her mouth and beckoned her daughter away from them. Axel grinned and Roxas sighed heavily and ran a hand over his face. The mother stood and made to grab the girl from the chair but this time Roxas waved like it was fine and the woman sat again keeping a close watch. The blonde shook his head at the girl and gave her a soft smile. The girl looked confused.

"Can you ask her mother to explain it to her if she wants? I'm not sure she needs a life lesson coming from strangers," Roxas said to Olette. The brunette smiled and started speaking to the mother who blushed deeper and called some things out to her daughter. The little girl listened with wide eyes to her mother's slow speech. She said some things of her own and the woman nodded. The boy was listening as well, but kept his eyes on his book. He piped in towards the end of their conversation and his mother nudged him angrily. The little girl looked Axel and Roxas over again with large eyes.

"Apparently their family is very conservative Roman Catholic," Olette said with a shrug.

"Oh. We're such heretics," Axel said with a grin. The little girl watched Axel for a moment before heading off of the chair to dig in the book bag. She produced a small box and walked over to the pair again and held it out to them. It was a puzzle. She took Roxas' hand and pulled him lightly to the small coffee table in the center of the tiny space and he sat with her. She promptly opened the box and dumped the pieces out on the table and went to bring Axel over to them. The mother kept a scrutinizing eye on the small group.

The conversations they held were simple. They explained that their friend was there and that he very sick. Apparently the girl's father was there to get his gall bladder removed. Eventually the boy had had enough of this 'studying' which mostly consisted of him watching the group anyway and he joined them in their dialogue. After a while the mother relaxed some in her chair. Once the puzzle was finished, the little girl went and retrieved another one, leaving the older boys to clean up the first one.

"Hey everyone," Aegea said from the entryway of the waiting cubicle. The trio turned their attention to the woman. "He's awake."

***

Sora was shivering. He had over half a dozen insufficient hospital blankets piled on him and they acted like a hood for him to hide in when Roxas came in to see him. Axel sat in a chair next to the door wand watched them with hard eyes. The brunette's monitors were beeping peacefully and a line of tubes lead under the pile of fabric to him. A nurse stood off to the side.

"Well," Roxas stated, crossing his arms and looking the brunette over.

"W-well what?" Sora asked through his shivering.

"Where is Riku?"

"The fuck if I know," Sora said defiantly with a shrug.

"Your boarding pass said you were headed to Turkey, I assume to meet him?"

"H-he never tells me everything. I have no idea."

"I don't believe you."

"That's fine. You don't need to. I'm not allowed to see him anyway," the brunette said with a scowl. Roxas looked to Axel and the redhead shrugged.

"Why is that?"

"Because I failed, he'll probably think I ran off with his stash now. He always told me to not bother finding him if I didn't make it through. And well… I didn't make it through," he managed to choke out through his shivers. "I have nothing left, so just leave me alone; I'm not going to bother you anymore."

Roxas stood off to the side and watched Sora for a few moments. He stared off blankly like he usually did when in deep thought. Axel was starting to feel paranoid that the blonde was thinking too much. Roxas took a breath and looked at the redhead briefly and turned back to the brunette. "Come with us."

Axel was on his feet, "no. No fucking way, Roxas."

"Axel. Stop," he ordered.

"No! How can you ask this little freak to come with us? He_ killed_ his _sister_! He had my _mom_ killed! What the fuck are you thinking!?" Axel screamed. "Not to mention all the other bullshit he put us through!" he crossed the room and stared down at the blonde. Roxas stared back at him with an equally angry face.

"You don't think I know that? I know what he's done and everything he's screwed with but I cannot ignore our past together. I can't just leave him here."

"Your past? Oh you mean the past that I have no idea about; the one you never bothered to share with me? The one that I couldn't give two shits about because the little freak _killed my mother_!? That past? Is it really all that glorious that you would forget the things that he's done so easily?"

"You don't understand."

"Damn right I don't understand! So go ahead, explain it to me. Tell me some wondrous thing that this shit has done for you that would make you forgive him so easily! I'm listening."

"I… he…" Roxas stammered. Axel's blood was boiling; he shoved a finger in the blonde's face.

"If he comes, I'm gone," he threatened. Roxas' eyes widened. The blonde looked at Sora, who was silently watching them with curious eyes. He looked back to the redhead with a pleading expression. After a moment of silence from the blonde Axel backed off and stalked out the door, slamming it behind him.

***

Axel bid Olette farewell and she nodded before heading back to the hospital. The redhead quickly ran up the stairs and into his bedroom and pulled out his luggage. Xigbar appeared in the doorway.

"Where's Roxas?"

"At the hospital sucking Sora's dick," Axel spat.

Xigbar blinked. "That's… odd. I'm just going to assume you guys had a fight."

"He wants to bring Sora with us," Axel moved across the room and started to pick out his clothes from his dresser and shoving them into the baggage. "I'm getting on the next plane out of here."

"Oh really?"

"Yep."

"Does Roxas know about this?"

"Don't know. Don't care," Axel said. "He obviously gives more of a damn about _Sora_ than he does me, so why should I hang around?"

"I'm not convinced you understand everything."

"You're right. I don't understand everything. Roxas knows pretty much my entire life and I don't know shit about his outside of the present day. He and Sora apparently have some magical bond that makes Roxas forget that he's a fucking _murderer_. We don't have that bond. I can't deal with this bullshit anymore. So, I'm done. I'm out of here."

"Just like that? Roxas gives you your life back out of pure generosity and you just up and leave him when you don't understand something?"

Axel glared at the older man and walked to him, "Sora _killed_ my _mother_, Xigbar." The man didn't flinch but he stooped to shove his face in the redhead's.

"Oh he did, did he? I was under the impression some guy in a suit did that."

"She was killed to cover my dad's debt to his family. So yes. He did."

"I thought that Riku's family owned Sora's family's company, isn't that right? Isn't that debt theirs then?"

"He_ told_ me it was his family!"

"What family, Axel? The kid's parents have been dead for years. You honestly think that an eight year old took over the company and ran it with his equally as young siblings? That he had some weird comprehension that he was going to make you pay back the debt one way or another? Twelve years from then? The kid is fucked but he isn't _that_ fucked."

Comprehension slammed into Axel like a ton of bricks. He furrowed his brows together in thought. "But he killed his sister!"

"Do you really believe that too?"

"He said he did! Why would he lie about that?" Axel's thinking was becoming more and more frantic.

"Because Riku is in control, that's why. Why would he follow Riku around if the bastard didn't have something on him? Sora's situation isn't all that different than Namine's, really. Riku has them both wrapped around his little finger. I know Sora, Axel. He was with Roxas since they were born. I've spent _years_ with both of them."

Axel had a lump in his throat that he tried to swallow. He took a breath and tried to think past his jumbled mind. "Why didn't anyone do anything for him?"

"Xemnas was Sora's legal guardian for a long time and he kept everything on the down low. Jesus, Axel I can't believe you really thought the kid was the cause of everything."

"Well what the hell was I supposed to think? I don't know any of them! I didn't grow up with Sora and Roxas, I have no idea what their life was like. Roxas never bothered to tell me. He just kept saying the three of them had 'history,' and never elaborated. I_ had_ to take everything at face value."

Xigbar sighed and rubbed his eyes. "You're right, I'm sorry. I forget that sometimes."

"It still really bothers me that Sora might come with us, though. I mean, he_ did_ attack me."

"With Riku's stash was it not?"

Axel ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah yeah, Riku this, Riku that. I know." The redhead still had a terrible feeling in his chest. He didn't like Sora, he really didn't. But if what Xigbar was saying was true, he might be able to grin and bear it and try to get to know the little freak. "There is no way Xemnas doesn't know what Riku does."

"I know, who said that he doesn't?"

"Roxas. He thinks Riku is acting independently."

"Well there is a part that Roxas tends to forget about. Riku had to grow up to become this twisted, he's really only been seriously out of control since he turned seventeen. Xemnas probably doesn't have his hands in the drugs but most of the rest of it can be blamed on him. I can't exactly speak for what happened to your mom though."

"We can't call the police? Or like… the military?"

Xigbar smirked, "we have nothing on him. It's obvious to us what the problems are but we have no hard evidence to hand them. Xemnas covers his tracks very well. We've tried. Believe me, we've tried."

Axel's mind was still spinning. "I'm… having a hard time coming to terms with this."

"I understand that. It's a lot to take in, like you said, you didn't grow up with it. Do you still want to leave? Personally I wouldn't blame you for wanting to pull out of this madness, but Roxas might be a little upset."

_Oh shit. Roxas_. Axel thought to himself. "I'll hang around until they get home and see how I feel."

***

"Why would you tell him such horrible things?" Roxas asked.

"Because Riku told me to," Sora said. It had been a while since the redhead had left them and the brunette's shaking had calmed some.

"If Riku told you to cut your arm off and give it to him, would you?"

"I'd try."

"That's terrible."

"What do you want me to do, Roxxy? I owe my life to them. We would have been sent to an orphanage if Xemnas hadn't come in and saved us. I know he's a little weird but I love Riku. I really really do."

"Well he's tossed you aside, what are you going to do now?" Roxas asked with a scowl.

"I… I don't know. It hasn't hit me yet that I really can't see him anymore. Maybe he was bluffing. Making sure I don't screw up, that sort of thing."

"Do you know how to contact him?"

Sora shook his head lightly, "I was supposed to meet with Saïx at the airport in Turkey and he was supposed to take me to Riku. If I didn't show, I was done," the brunette shivered again and coughed a little when his breathing tripped up.

"Are you going to try and catch another plane?"

"I only have the one ticket. I don't have any money for another," he looked up at Roxas through a price of his hair.

"I'm not going to pay for one, so don't bother asking."

"Okay, I won't."

Roxas' Blackberry vibrated in his pocket and he clicked the screen to see a text message from Xigbar. Axel wasn't going anywhere, and Roxas let out a breath. There was a knock on the door and Olette stuck her head in before going to sit on the chair where Axel had sat previously. "Olette can you ask the doctors when Sora can leave?"

"Okay," she said and left again.

"You're taking me with you? Even if Axel leaves?" Sora asked in a small voice.

"Axel isn't going anywhere, Xigbar stopped him."

"Oh. Okay. I hope he and I can be friends. I really didn't like being mean to him."

"I believe you, but you'll have to work to convince him you're not some horrible monster."

"I'm too cute to be a monster, Roxxy," Sora said with a grin. Roxas rolled his eyes.

"Are you really not disturbed that you have no siblings left? That Riku killed them?"

"I already cried all I can about them. I chalked it up to repaying a debt I had to Riku and his family and it made it easier to deal with. So no, I'm not disturbed."

"Well Namine is upset that Selphie is gone."

"Oh… I forgot about Namine. Do you think she'll try to hurt me?"

"She will yell and scream and cry and then maybe try and hit you, but she can't cause any real damage. We still have three weeks in Greece before we head home, so you'll be staying with us until then. Hopefully between now and when we see her, she will have come to terms with it. I'll give her all the details."

"Okay. Do you think Axel will try and hurt me? He thinks I killed his mom."

"I'm not sure. If he does I'll try and make sure he doesn't kill you."

"Oh, _thanks_," the brunette said sarcastically. Olette came back in the room and resumed her seat next to the door.

"The soonest would be the day after tomorrow. So long as he doesn't show withdrawl symptoms," she said.

"This would be my first time using it. I've already thrown up my entire digestive tract, I think I'll be okay," Sora said with a light shiver. "I hope."

"How were you planning on getting Riku his stash anyway?"

"I swallowed a bunch of plastic capsules. Normally it's something latex like condoms or gloves but the capsules are easier," Sora said simply like it was a normal thing. Roxas furrowed his brows.

"That environment is so foreign to me."

"Let's keep it that way," the brunette said with a smile. "I like you nice and innocent."

"When did you start?"

"Start what?"

"Doing Riku's bidding? It wasn't always like this."

"When he got expelled from the Academy, he started to get into drugs a lot more. We started smoking pot together and he and I sort of developed a relationship from there. He was really gentle at first until he started with the heroin and that's when it got a little more… complex." Roxas was surprised at Sora's openness with the subject. He wasn't sure if it was because of Sora's devotion to him as a friend or if the brunette was tired of being treated like a doormat.

"Why didn't you leave?"

"Because I love him, Roxxy. Would you stay with Axel if he started to ask more of you?"

"I doubt it."

"Really?"

"If he started to ask me to do the things Riku had you do, then yes I would probably leave. If he relapses again and starts to using, I would pay for his treatment but probably not be with him anymore."

"That's really heartless, you know that?"

"Why? I don't need anyone to drag me down with them like that. I'm looking past this instance because it isn't Axel's fault," Roxas glared intently at the brunette and Sora shrunk back a little in his cave of blankets.

"Being an addict is hard. You'd have to be there yourself to understand. I've only had heroin once," he held hand his hands out to use his surroundings in a visual aid, "and I already know that withdrawal sucks ass."

"Aren't you even sorry you forced that on him?"

"I am. But why should I cry to you about it? I'll cry to him about it when we see each other."

"Well one thing is for sure, you are not to do any drugs in my household otherwise I _will _toss you on the street. And you will work or go to school."

Sora hesitated. "O-okay."

"I should probably get home. I'll leave the house number and my cell with your doctors."

"I'll be waiting for your return my Roxxy," Sora quipped with a grin causing Roxas to roll his eyes again.

***

Axel had everything put back where it was again. He itched his arm absently, his clouded mind thinking about the possibility that Sora could come walking into his room with Roxas any moment. He had a headache but he wanted to wait for the blonde versus crawling into the bed. It was past eight in the evening when he heard voices filter upstairs from the entryway. He didn't bother to go see. After a moment more of waiting Roxas padded into his bedroom.

"Well?" the blonde asked.

"Well what?"

"Are you staying?"

"For now."

"I'm relieved."

"I don't like him."

"I know."

"I'm not sure I want to try to like him."

"That's fair. I'm not asking you to."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to tolerate him until we get home."

"When is he coming?"

"The day after tomorrow."

"Fine." Axel crossed his arms.

"Did you want to stay here for the New Year still?"

"Sure. What's the difference?"

"Well the longer we're here, the longer he stays. Once we get home we'll see what we can do with him."

"I'll see how I feel when he gets here."

"I think you'll like him once he gets away from Riku for a time."

"Riku really isn't going to send for him?"

"I doubt it. Sora isn't useful anymore to him."

Axel took a deep breath. "I don't like Riku."

"Neither do I."

"Good because if he decides to try and turn over a new leaf, I don't want him coming to stay with us too."

"He won't. And I won't let him."

"Seems like I'm the only one in the dark now."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know why you're so loyal to Sora. Everyone else save maybe Olette knows why but I have no idea and it's making it really hard for me to understand and try and move forward."

Roxas moved to sit with the redhead on the bed. "Okay, what do you want to know?"

"Everything. Everything important anyway."

Roxas thought for a moment before speaking. "Sora and I were born in the same hospital together, only a few days apart. His mother and my mother were the best of friends and they would bring Sora and I and our sisters to play together for the longest time. We started at the Academy together at the same time and were room mates in the dormitories. Xigbar watched over both of us at the time. Riku was two years ahead of us and I don't really remember when but we started to hang around each other a lot. We would have holidays at home together, and go on vacations together and sometimes Riku would join us. Sora's parents were killed and our families drew apart but we were allowed to stay together at school, even though we didn't do holidays together anymore.

When Sora and I were around thirteen, we started to have a little separation between us. He started to hang around Riku more and I stuck my nose in my texts to try and distract myself from feeling like the third wheel. Eventually the separation between us became so huge that I was left mostly to myself. Then we graduated from the dormitories and were allowed to commute from home. We still stuck together at school but we wouldn't have any contact outside because my parents wouldn't let us and his siblings were spiteful. Selphie and Namine stayed a constant though, which was another wedge between us. It wasn't fair.

I would see Selphie at my home but never Sora and I started to get extremely lonely and depressed. Sora suggested I sneak out of my home and go party with him and Riku but I refused. I started to get serious about baseball around this time and I was really good. I didn't talk much to my team though and only came to practice to play, Riku was on the team with me but it didn't help. He was always more Sora's friend than he was mine. When I was fourteen I was so reclusive and had such a feeling of worthlessness I tried to kill myself," Roxas paused and stared into space. Axel didn't move and the blonde eventually started again.

"My mother did nothing to help me. I probably should have been pulled from my team and sent to somewhere for therapy but it didn't happen. My father wasn't around and Namine was hopeless in terms of being supportive. Xigbar was there though and I relied on him for guidance, he encouraged me to keep up with my studies and my sports to distract myself and it worked for the most part. When I was fifteen, Namine graduated high school and started to hang around Riku who was seventeen at the time and still going to the Academy. I would see him wandering around my house almost constantly. He started to pay more attention to me, like we kids again. But this time it was more… intense.

He would say he was 'playing' like he does with Sora and trying to force me to do things with him. His attention was kind for a while but when I began to refuse, he started taking it. He started to get angrier and angrier until he finally snapped one day at practice and smashed my leg with a bat," Roxas looked at Axel to see his reaction. The redhead's expression was slack with disbelief but the blonde didn't give him a chance to speak. "He was expelled from the Academy and started at Hollow High where he graduated shortly after. At this point though my mother was so wrapped up in whatever husband she was with and getting drunk so she didn't even notice when Riku was still hanging around to see Namine.

The expulsion didn't deter Riku and he still kept forcing himself on me even when I was in a cast and could barely move. My physical therapy was set back many times over because of him. When he started to go to school with my sister is when he was around _persistently_. I would come home from school and find them having sex in my bed, in the theater, on the dining room table, everywhere. If Xigbar caught them, he would stop them, but it was relentless. They started to smoke pot together and drink and became very close. Then one day, Namine went over to Riku's house for a change. Since then, they've gone over there instead of my home, which I'm happy about. That's around the time I met you, and you've been around to see the rest."

Axel blinked a few times to keep the information from leaking out. "Huh. And Sora didn't know anything?"

"I didn't tell him much, he wasn't allowed anywhere near me. We were still really good friends in school and he tried to introduce me to his newer friends but I didn't want to. He's never done anything to hurt me on purpose. His liking Riku was fine with me as long as Riku didn't come near me which didn't happen. But it happened because Namine let it happen, not Sora. He and I had a great childhood together and Riku was the biggest wedge between us after what my grandfather did to Sora's parents. It's very hard for me to stay angry with Sora because he really does have a very kind and loyal spirit. Now-a-days he's been clinging to whatever piece of stability he can find and his pillar for a long time was Riku. Now that Riku isn't around, he's starting to crumble and I'm reminded of what he was like before we drew apart and that's why I want to help him.

He's agreed to not do drugs while he stays with us. I can't necessarily say that he won't go running back to Riku, but at least for now I'll know he's safe and taken care of. He says he loves Riku, which I find it hard to understand, but I think he's confusing 'love' with 'attention,' since he received so much from him. Hopefully in the time we spend here, he'll realize his mistakes and try to make amends. What I want to know is if you'll be willing to look past your time with him and see him the way I do."

"I can't guarantee that. For the longest time now I've been living with the idea that he's killed my mother, and his sister for that matter. It's going to be hard for me to think otherwise when I've had no positive influence from him," Axel said, his brows together.

"Okay. I'll be patient and see how things pan out. Just don't kill him."

"I won't."

"Thank you." They sat together in silence for an extended period of time. Axel tried his best to retain every detail of Roxas' story and really all it did was make him hate Riku even more. He wasn't looking forward to seeing Sora again but at least now he had some food for thought versus being tossed into the room with him with blind fury acting as his fuel.

"He totally tried to molest me though," Axel said to break their silence.

"He did what?" Roxas said with a raised brow.

"He was clinging to me when I was at Riku's and rubbing his face on me."

"Believe it or not, he's done that before. He's done it to me a lot but we're the same height so we end up smashing our cheeks together."

"That's a weird visual."

"You'll probably see it when he gets here, he's very… clingy."

"_Great_."

"Though he's probably picked up a lot of weird behaviors from Riku so I won't be able to explain everything, but he is indeed very cheery and very hyperactive most days."

"Whoopee," Axel added very unenthusiastically. The redhead left the bed and went into the bathroom to dig through the medicine cabinet for something for his head. He grumbled angrily at the bottles for being in Greek. He must have gone through a dozen before he found a familiar bottle of Tylenol and thanked the corporate gods for product consistency. He took two before heading back into the room. He clicked the light off and wandered his way to the bed. He pulled off his shirt and slid beneath the covers. Roxas was already in and waiting for him. "You're not going to change into your PJ's?" he asked.

"I'm okay for now. I just need to relax for a minute; it's been a rough evening."

"I agree. I have a massive headache."

"How're you feeling otherwise?"

"I'm a little achy everywhere, tomorrow will be worse and we'll probably have to go to the clinic again and probably the day after as well. Sorry in advance."

"It isn't your fault."

"Well if I had never done it in the first place, I would've probably have been fine."

"Oh. Did you want to go back to the Institute when we get home?"

"I'm not sure yet. I'll start seeing Vexen again though. I do want you to take my phone away and keep any cash out of my hands. Dealers don't take credit cards."

"Okay..."

"Sorry to worry you. I'll be fine," Axel said and kissed Roxas' forehead. He itched his arm again as he turned over facing away from the blonde's concerned eyes. In reality, his muscles ached with a vengeance. He hoped Sora didn't have keys to Riku's house otherwise he might not be able to control himself. He ran his hand through his hair a few times with the thought of another stamp lying in wait for him just across the street. Roxas' arm snaked around him and the blonde lined their bodies together giving him some comfort.

***

Axel crushed the little paper cup in his hands and waved thanks at the very exotic looking woman behind the counter. He tossed the cup in the receptacle as he walked past and met up with Roxas who was waiting patiently in the clinic lobby. Olette followed closely behind him. The blonde moved to close the gap between them and wrapped his arms around the redhead's waist.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Nope," Axel said. His stomach gurgled as it started to digest the methadone.

"Well you don't have to be, just don't kill him please."

"I told you I wouldn't."

"Okay."

Olette held the door for them and the boys left the clinic together and made their way to the girl's car. The drive to the hospital to get Sora was mildly less traumatic as it was the first time they had gone. Olette didn't do as much yelling out the window and she tried her best to actually pay attention to the various signs and street lights. By the time they found a parking spot, it was already late morning. This time around, the media was gone. Apparently their story disappeared when the little foreign boy turned out just fine.

Axel waiting in the lobby by himself while Roxas and Olette went inside to find Aegea. He flipped through a magazine idly, squinting at the weird lines and squiggles he couldn't understand. He could see through the lobby's large glass doors that Roxas and Sora were standing side by side with their backs turned to him, signing papers. Olette and Aegea were talking simultaneously to either boy, instructing them on what line said what. He kept and eye on the activity for a good fifteen minutes until everything was finished. Sora looked no worse for wear when they turned to walk out, and Axel was extremely jealous of that.

_That's totally not fair_. He thought to himself. He figured it was either Sora had nothing wrong with him, was doped up on something, or he had an incredible acting ability all of which made Axel want to punch him in the face for being so damn happy. Roxas smiled warmly at the brunette which made the redhead cringe even more. He'd never made Roxas smile like that. He huffed and stood when they made it through the doors.

"Hi Axel!" Sora said with an excited wave like nothing was wrong. The redhead glared at him in response. "I'm coming for a sleepover!" he grinned.

"Fan-_fucking_-tastic. Stay away from me," Axel spat. He made his way to the door and out into the parking lot towards the car. Olette ran to catch up with him.

"He was really sweet before you all came here, I do not think he means any harm," she said quietly. Axel glanced down at her.

"Yeah well I can't exactly get thrilled to see him."

"I will try to distract him so he stays away from you."

"Thanks."


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer**: Happy 20th chapter! For your dedication, I present you with nosebleeds and giggles.

Chapter 20

The ride back to the château was uneventful and tense. Axel leapt from the car and stomped his way up to his bedroom once they got back. He shoved his face into his mass of pillows and let out a frustrated scream into the mattress. He resisted the urge to itch his arm and pulled on a piece of hair to distract himself from every thought that tried to worm its way into his head. He wanted the euphoria, the numbness, now more than ever and it took every ounce of his sanity to not jump out the window and sprint across the street.

He tried to think of something to distract himself. Anything. He'd settle for a deck of cards at this point. Maybe he'd break into the wine cellar, or simply ask Roxas for the key and then go into the cellar; he didn't really need to break it. He grabbed either end of a pillow and pulled it tight over the back of his head, smashing his face into the fabric of the mattress until it was hard to breathe. The methadone was not doing it for him today. The stress was too much. He swallowed hard against the lump in his throat, his mind racing with pictures of Sora, making him livid. There was a knock on the door and someone pushed it open and came in. Axel peeked out from under the pillow and quickly sat up.

"Roxas!" he yelped. His hands were sweaty and his blood was singing through his veins.

"What's wrong?" the blonde said, surprised by Axel's sudden attention. The redhead lunged off the bed and scooped the blonde up and over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He kicked the door closed roughly and clicked its lock. "Whoa! What are we doing?" Roxas asked as he tried to steady himself against Axel's back.

"I need you to be my anti-drug right now," the redhead growled and stalked towards the bed.

"Wh—_now_?" Roxas' face flushed with color.

"_Now_." Axel dropped the blonde on the bed with a heavy thump; he bounced so hard he nearly slid off.

"Well can I at leas—"

"No," the redhead descended on his neck like a hungry lion and bit him, causing a yelp to escape from the blonde. Axel grabbed onto Roxas' thighs and hoisted him up a little and pushed him back, sliding the blonde across the bed to get better stability. He shoved his hands under Roxas' shirt and felt the warmth of his chest against his clammy hands. Roxas started to pant a little and pushed on his chest.

"Axel stop, you're starting to scare me," he pleaded. Axel brought his teeth away from the blonde's neck and looked at his face. Roxas' eyes were wide with apprehension and it caused the smokescreen to clear from his mind a little. Roxas let out a relieved breath, having gotten the redhead's attention. "We can't do this right now."

"You don't understand, I _need_ something. Anything," Axel said and laid his head on the blonde's chest. "Don't make me wait. I'm not sure I can," the redhead smoothed his hands down Roxas' torso and played at the tops of the boys pants.

"Can't you just take a cold shower or something? I have things I need to do right now," Roxas said with a shiver under Axel's touch.

"That's not why I need you specifically; you're going to replace my cravings. Now _off_," he ordered, tugging at the seam. Roxas yelped and grabbed onto Axel's wrist.

"I'm not sure I understand! Wait!" he exclaimed as Axel shoved his shirt up.

"Sex now, talk later," Axel leaned back and pulled his own shirt over his head. Roxas' expression was frantic as he watched Axel kick off his shoes and unfasten his jeans. The blonde's hands were shaking as he started to wiggle out of his own pants, his anxious mind was trying to make his body believe that this was Axel and he needed help, not someone to be feared.

The redhead's brain was in a frenzy as he tried his best to shove every stimulus of Roxas into his mind to cloud his itching skin. The blonde could barely get his shirt over his head before Axel threw himself on him again and explored every bit of exposed skin with his hands. He curled his arms underneath the blonde's torso keeping him in place as he nipped and licked and kissed his stomach with fervor. Roxas was busy trying to get himself to relax and couldn't really enjoy the touching as much as he would've liked. He watched the plaster ceiling intently, willing nerves to settle. Suddenly, there was an incredible warmth wrapping itself around him and he looked down to find that Axel had taken him into his mouth.

Roxas' toes curled as he watched as the redhead ran his tongue over his entire length, stopping occasionally to pull on the excess skin with his lips. The blonde ambled himself up to support himself with his elbows. Axel gave him a quick glance before wrapping his mouth around the tip and sucking lightly, eliciting a tremble from Roxas' thighs and a soft throaty moan from his lips. Axel moved down his shaft and took in as much of Roxas as he could, resting the end at the back of his tongue and massaging it. He started to pick up the pace when the blonde's breathing became heightened stopping only to work him over with his hands a little but his lips were never more than an inch away.

With his free hand, Axel slicked a finger with saliva and started to massage Roxas' entrance. He kept the boy's warmth in his mouth but his main concern became loosening him up. He released Roxas from his lips and moved up his body to look into his eyes. Roxas was giving him a flushed lustful expression that made every neuron in Axel's brain fire at once. His mind switched from craving the numbing euphoria from across the street to wanting to hear every noise and every squeak come from Roxas' panting mouth.

Axel pressed a second finger into Roxas and the boy's brow twitched with the feeling. The redhead pulled their faces together and Roxas wrapped his arms around his neck, meeting his lips eagerly. Roxas pressed their bodies together and felt Axel take his hand away and replace it with his warmth. He broke their kiss to suck in a breath when Axel pressed into him gently. The redhead kissed a bead of sweat off his temple and licked his lips. He pressed the sides of their faces together and whispered into Roxas' ear with a breathy purr.

"I want to hear you," he said. Roxas closed his eyes and nodded a little. Axel's hand slid down the line of the blonde's body and grabbed firmly onto his thigh as he started to move, keeping his face near Roxas.' The wet noises of Axel's pumping were soon replaced by breathless whines from the blonde as he clung to Axel. The redhead closed his eyes and listened intently to every breath, every noise Roxas had to give him, sending shivers down his back with each one.

"A-Axel I'm…" Roxas started before the redhead clamped their mouths together. Axel's pace quickened as Roxas' muffled peeps became more heightened. The blonde clasped Axel's back with his nails as he broke their kiss and his body shuddered. He let out a panting breath and relaxed back some, his face flushed and sweating. Axel pulled his legs up under himself and grabbed both of Roxas' thighs and started to pump with greater force.

Roxas clung to Axel's shoulders and let his head fall back and his eyes droop closed. The redhead stuck his face in the bend of Roxas' neck and nipped at his pulse. Axel's breathing began to quicken and his movements more feverish. Roxas dropped back against the mattress and Axel's back straightened some so he could watch himself slam into the blonde. Axel let out a frustrated snarl after a while when he couldn't get himself to climax and Roxas was becoming concerned.

Axel's thighs were shaking uncontrollably and he was starting to tire out. He dropped Roxas' thighs and laid himself on the blonde, slowing his pace considerably. A line of sweat came forward from his forehead and dripped off his nose, "I can't… I can't do it," he panted. He looked at Roxas and blushed in embarrassment.

"Lay back," the blonde said, not registering his fluster.

"What?"

"Lay on your back," he said again with more force. Axel quickly did as he was told and Roxas crawled on top of him. Axel's mind flicked with all the various things that Roxas could do to him in this position, a few of which seemed completely disgusting at this stage in the game. Instead, Roxas leaned forward and reached behind him, pushing Axel back inside. He settled back with a little sashay of his hips. The blonde's eye fluttered closed at the new sensation and Axel took in the view with hungry eyes.

The redhead ran his hands over Roxas' thighs and the blonde shivered and gave the redhead a look of complete and utter desire that made him feel like his entire body was being licked with heat. The blonde straddled him and leaned back, supporting himself with one arm. The free hand ran over his stomach sensually, picking up the wetness he had spread on his stomach earlier and down to his length. He began to stroke himself slowly, giving Axel a right eyeful. Roxas started to move, rocking himself back and fourth over Axel's heat and panting lustfully.

Axel watched with ravenous eyes. He was resisting the urge to start bucking against Roxas just so he could watch some more. Roxas' movements were beginning to become more uneven as he hardened again in his hands. Axel pulled his legs up, shoving the blond forward and he moved the blonde's hands away from himself. The redhead started to caress him lightly and Roxas put his hands on his chest for stability. Roxas rocked forward on his knees and it gave Axel just enough room to move into him again. Roxas moaned lightly as Axel started to pump into him from below.

The redhead bucked into him with almost a desperate pace as he started to feel the heat build inside him. Roxas' pitch climbed as the redhead worked him over and he dug his fingernails into the meat of Axel' chest as he shuddered over another climax. Axel ignored the dribble of white on his thumb and pushed Roxas' thighs back to meet his forceful hips. He could feel the edge building but he couldn't quite go over.

Roxas noticed the tension in his partner and dropped onto Axel's chest and reached up to take a fistful of hair and pulled backwards, exposing the redhead's throat to him. Axel let out a surprised gasp and bucked into the blonde. Roxas licked a line down Axel's neck and he shivered, the sensation travelling down the entire length of his spine. Roxas let out a few breathy pants in the redhead's ear and Axel growled in response. The blonde was getting frustrated that Axel couldn't finish. He grabbed another fistful of hair and bit Axel on the crook of his neck. The redhead's eyes flew wide as he was thrown over the edge and shoved Roxas' hips down to meet his own, grinding his teeth with the effort. He let out a gasp and fell back.

Every muscle the redhead had to his name twitched as the last few impulses of orgasm left him. He lay on the bed and stared up at the ceiling, attempting to catch his breath. Roxas draped himself on his chest limply and tried his hand at the same feat. Axel wanted to, but he couldn't lift his arms to hug the boy. The blonde moved his hips forward a few inches to let Axel fall out of him; the redhead shuddered with the feeling.

"That must have been awful for you, I'm so sorry," Axel panted. Roxas didn't move.

"I'm fine," he said quietly.

"I can't even argue with you." Axel tried lifting his arms again and slung one around the blonde. "Shower?" he asked simply, and the blonde nodded.

***

"So explain to me what was wrong," Roxas said as he reclined back against the redhead. They were cleaned and presentable but decided to stay in the shower together. The shower head pelted them relentlessly but the feeling was very therapeutic against their tingling skins.

"Which part?"

"Specifically, when I came in the room."

"I was having a serious craving, like… I was close to trying to break into Riku's house and seeing if anything was left," Axel admitted sheepishly and blushed though Roxas wouldn't be able to tell. "I wasn't thinking straight and I needed to distract myself."

"You're not going to jump me every time it happens, are you?"

"I'll try not to. The methadone is usually all I need but the added stress of having Sora around didn't let it work properly, I guess. I'm sorry, I hope I didn't hurt you," the redhead reached down and pulled Roxas closer to him, hugging him tightly.

"I don't break very easily. I would've appreciated a little warning first, though."

"Okay."

Roxas sighed, "I guess I'll just have to be more aware of what's going on with you, this is way out of my element, and I'm not sure how to cope."

"We can go see Vexen together when we get home, he can teach us stuff." Roxas nodded in agreement and rubbed his neck, Axel had left a bruise on his gossamer skin and he felt horrible for it. Though, he had one too, just in an easier to hide place. "I have some stuff to cover that up. It's the same stuff Marluxia used to cover up my tattoos."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it."

"Okay," Axel had an uneasy feeling in his stomach. He wasn't sure if the blonde was angry at him or not and he didn't want to chance it by asking. He leaned forward and encircled the boy in his lap and nuzzled his face in his wet hair. "I'm sorry. Again."

"I know you are, Axel, its fine."

***

"Whoa! Look at the size of that thing!" Sora exclaimed when Roxas came into the kitchen for something to drink. The brunette was sitting happily on a stool at the counter top with half a sandwich in his hand. Xigbar was sitting not far behind him, watching the brunette carefully. Roxas rubbed his neck and began to pour his juice.

"What of it?" he asked.

"Oh nothing, I just thought I'd point it out," he grinned and giggled a little, "now I know why you disappeared." Roxas shrugged nonchalantly. "Did you at least give him one to match?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business."

"Ah! You did! That's so cute Roxxy!" he took a bite of his sandwich, "invite me nexth time 'kay?"

"No."

"Aw! Come on!" Sora sputtered around his mouthful of food.

"I don't share."

"Hmphf," the brunette huffed and crossed his arms. "'er no fun."

"I know, I'm horribly boring," Roxas agreed and took a drink. Sora stuffed another bite into his mouth.

"Will oo eber noth be boring?"

"Will I ever share Axel you mean? Probably not. Don't get your hopes up."

"Don'tkilhimdon'tkilhimdon'tkilhim," Axel was muttering to himself as he rounded the corner into the kitchen. He only stopped his mantra to kiss Roxas' on the temple; he then bypassed the brunette and opened the refrigerator. "Don'tkilhimdon'tkilhimdon'tkilhim…"

"Hi Axel! How _dare_ you take my Roxxy away from me for so long. It's not nice to be selfish," Sora teased. Axel flicked his eyes to the boy before setting a plastic storage container a little too hard on the countertop. He kept muttering under his breath as he found a plate and some silverware. He dumped some leftovers on the plate from the container and threw it in the microwave for two minutes. He leaned on the counter and waited patiently for his food. Sora watched the show with wide and curious eyes; he stuffed the last bit of his sandwich in his mouth and chewed slowly.

"Don'tkilhimdon'tkilhimdon'tkilhim," Axel continued as the timer beeped. He grabbed his silverware and his food and headed back into the house.

"Okay bye!" Sora called after him, eliciting an upright middle finger over the redhead's shoulder before he disappeared. The brunette smiled at Roxas. "He's so polite."

"Don't antagonize him, he already hates you."

"I know. But we're getting off to a great start don't you think?" Sora kicked his feet gleefully on the stool. "What do you want to do, now? I still have the keys to Riku's house; we could go mess around in there."

"You have keys?" Xigbar asked.

"Of course, silly!" Sora dug into his pocket and pulled out a small key ring and jingled them at the man. "You want them?"

"I would, yes," Xigbar said.

"I require payment," Sora gave him a sly grin. Roxas sighed.

"What do you want?" the blonde asked.

"I want to play a game."

"I don't like where this is going."

"Aw. It's not bad. No one will get hurt, I promise."

"What is it?"

"I want an hour alone with Axel."

"Why?"

"To force him to like me. He won't sit with me unless he doesn't have a choice." Roxas scowled at the brunette.

"I'm not comfortable with this."

"I could always just chase you down and take them from you," Xigbar said.

"I'm an expert and swallowing things I shouldn't, I wouldn't try it," Sora said with a giggle. Xigbar crinkled his nose with the mental imagery.

"That was disgusting, Sora," Roxas added.

"Whatever, those are my terms. You can take it or leave it. But if you try to break in, I _will_ call the police."

***

"He wants _what_?" Axel barked, nearly spitting out a mouthful of leftovers. He coughed lightly to clear his windpipe of the debris.

"It's only an hour," Roxas said.

"And you agreed to this?"

"Not yet, but I would like to have those keys."

"Just take them from the little bastard, why do I have to get involved?"

"He threatened to swallow them."

"Okay gross," Axel muttered and shoveled another spoonful in his mouth. Roxas shrugged.

"You don't have to, but I would appreciate it."

"What if he has something on him?"

"Xigbar is going to search him."

"And it's only an hour?"

"Only an hour and I'll be outside of the door listening."

Axel thought it over for a moment. "Fine. But I want you to know I'm doing this for you. Not because I want to."

"Thank you," Roxas smiled.

***

Sora closed the door gently behind him. Axel sat cross legged on his freshly changed bedding and watched the boy with hard eyes. The brunette took a minute to look around curiously and smiled at Axel pleasantly, the redhead grimaced.

"Why so grumpy?"

"I don't like you."

"I know you don't. Roxas told me so. He also told me you know I didn't actually kill Selphie or your mom."

"You still shot me with heroin."

"I know I did, and I'm sorry about that. It was Riku's idea."

"Everyone seems to be passing the buck to Riku, lately."

"Well it's true that he's behind a lot of stuff. I should know; I've spent the last twelve years with him."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?"

"You're allowed to stay angry, but it causes wrinkles," he said simply. Sora walked to the bed and peered into Axel's face. "You have really pretty eyes."

"Okay?"

"Take the compliment would you?"

"I'm good with the ones I already have."

"Roxas and I have the same eyes. When we were little everyone would tell us that we were brothers. That Roxas' dad slept with my mom and that I'm actually his step-brother. I've considered this possibility, really. We look a lot alike." Axel couldn't argue with him. It was true. "I miss my friendship with him. I'd like to be a part of his life again, and that means I have to get along with you weather I like it or not."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yep," Sora smiled. "Will you share him?"

"Roxas can do what he likes. If he wants to be friends with you then fine. It doesn't mean I have to."

"If you're so negative you're going to hold him back."

"I don't feel that way."

"Can I play with your hair?"

"What?" Axel was confused with the sudden change in topic.

"Sorry, I have ADD sometimes. Can I play with your hair?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"If I beg?"

"No."

"If I show you my ass?"

"Go away."

"My dick?"

"No, go away." Sora leaned in and put a hand on Axel's knee. The redhead glared at him and put a hand on his chest to shove him back but Sora clamped onto his arm and smiled. "Let go."

"I want to play with your hair."

"Let go of me."

"Please?"

"I said no, now let go!" Axel leaned in and gave Sora a good shove, but the brunette held on tight and used the backwards momentum to pull Axel off the bed and onto the floor with a solid '_thud_.' "Fuck off," the redhead spat and he tried to wrench his arm away from Sora but he couldn't shake him. The brunette pulled him hard and Axel stood, which was a bad idea because Sora immediately wrapped his arms around his waist.

"Aw, I didn't know you cared!" Sora said with a smile. The situation was all too familiar for Axel and he tried to use his same method of sticking a leg between them to pry him off but Sora was wise to his tactic and smothered their bodies together. Sora rubbed his face on the redhead's torso and it made Axel's skin crawl.

"Roxas!" Axel called and there was a brief pause before the door opened. The redhead looked to the blonde with seething hate in his eyes. "Get him off of me before I kill him." Roxas closed the door behind him and crossed the room to the pair. Sora smiled at his friend and the blonde folded his arms over his chest.

"What are you doing, Sora?"

"Spending time with Axel, duh," he wiggled his hips and swayed a bit, pulling Axel around with him. Roxas sighed. He didn't make a move to stop Sora though, and Axel was becoming worried.

"If you need to hug someone, hug me," the blonde offered and held his arms open. Sora let out a twitter of a laugh and threw himself at Roxas, the blonde held him tight. Axel was confused. Roxas looked up at him and gave him a wink before smoothing his hands down Sora' back.

"What are you doing, Roxxy?" Sora asked, not trying to hide his shivers.

"Just getting a good feel before I decide if I want to_ share_ you," Roxas purred into Sora's neck. Axel folded his arms and glared at the blonde. Roxas ignored him and gave the brunette's rump a firm squeeze before sliding his hands around his hips and to his front. Sora giggled and nuzzled into Roxas' shoulder contentedly, he unwrapped himself from the blonde's shoulders and rested his hands on his chest.

Roxas gave Axel a cunning grin and shoved his hands into Sora's pockets. He pulled his hands out and trotted away before the brunette had a chance to react.

"Hey!" Sora yelled. "Don't be a tease Roxxy, come back!" the brunette felt his pockets and gasped. "You little shit come back here!" he exclaimed and went to take off after Roxas. Axel grabbed his arm and held him steady.

"You're not going anywhere," Axel smiled slyly. Sora whirled on him, prepared to fight back and stopped when he noticed Axel's gaze. Sora swallowed thickly. He pulled the boy over to the window and looked down. Roxas's arm appeared out the front doorway and tossed the keys to Xigbar who was waiting in the front yard for him. The older man jogged across the street and entered Riku's house, pulling on a pair of gloves.

"Damn!" Sora said with a distressed look. "You guys are smart. I was totally clueless," and he smiled.

"I had no idea what Roxas was up to."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously," Axel let go of Sora and the brunette rubbed his arm where Axel's hand had been. Roxas appeared in the doorway again and Sora pouted at him.

"You're so mean to me, Roxxy."

"I _really_ wanted those keys."

"I only wanted to get Axel to like me."

"And then you tried to molest him."

"I know, but he's so cuddly!" Sora insisted and Axel rolled his eyes.

"Try to get to know him like a normal person and maybe he'd be more willing to cuddle, did you ever think of that?"

"I… I don't know how to do that." Sora turned to face Axel and looked up at him with large eyes that looked so much like Roxas.' "Will you cuddle with me Axel?"

"No."

"See!? He's being difficult," Sora whined and turned to Roxas again. The blonde had an amused smile on his face and the brunette glared at him. "It isn't funny, Roxas, this is serious! How the hell am I supposed to sleep tonight?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I've spent the last five years sleeping in the bed with Riku. I can't sleep without someone to cuddle with anymore. The hospital had to give me drugs to put me out."

"We have sleeping pills, I'm sure."

"I don't like pills," Sora whimpered. "I just spent three days in the hospital because of giant pills."

"Try Xigbar."

"Ew, he's old."

"Sleep with Olette, she likes you enough."

"She has a _vagina_!" This, coupled with Sora's voice cracking made Axel snort and start to laugh. Sora turned to him and glared.

"Oh no! Demon vaginas!" Axel mocked. Roxas smiled and covered his mouth with his hand to stifle his chuckling.

"Don't laugh at me…" Sora said. After a moment of staring at the ground he sniffled and wiped at his eyes. Roxas' face crumpled and he stood in front of Sora and stooped to look into his face. Sora looked up with a quivering chin. "I have a serious problem and you guys are laughing at me. That's not nice." Axel watched Sora' childish act; he was starting to realize how dependant the brunette was on Riku for every little thing. It was disturbing.

"I don't know what to do for you, Sora. Axel and I sleep together and…" Roxas looked up at the redhead.

"Oh no you don't. No way," Axel said, giving the blonde a hard glare. Roxas sighed.

"You can sleep with me, Sora." The brunette perked up a little and sniffled.

"He's _not_ getting in the bed with us."

"I know. You can sleep by yourself."

"What the fuck, Roxas!?" Axel sputtered in disbelief. The redhead was suddenly reminded of when Larxene had started to cry in order to get Roxas to drink with her. Did he really have to cry to get the blonde to cave? "This is ridiculous."

"Or he can join us."

"Or I can shoot myself."

"Or you can move on and start to get more acquainted."

"Or I can shoot you, and_ then_ shoot myself."

"I'd like to see you try," Roxas retorted.

"Give me the gun and I'll show you."

"Xigbar's keys to the gun case are on him, go ask."

"Holy shit there are guns in the house?"

"Of course. What's the use of having a sharpshooter if you don't have any guns?"

"Good point," Axel shook his head. "Don't change the subject on me!"

"You started it," Roxas smiled. Sora was watching their little back and fourth with watery eyes.

"I wanted to sleep with Axel, tonight," he pouted.

"No," the redhead said quickly. Roxas looked at him with pleading eyes and Sora joined him. It made Axel's heart melt a little to have both sets of giant sapphire orbs on him but he stood firm. "You know what? You guys can have my bed, _I'll _sleep with Olette. I'm not afraid of vaginas."

"You're not serious," Roxas said with a raised brow.

"You want to try me?"

"I almost want to see you two together."

"Okay you're ruining my threat, Roxas."

"I know. That was the point."

"I _have_ had girlfriends before, you know."

"I know. But you can barely understand the girl; I doubt you'd get very far."

"Oh really? Are you daring me to go put the moves on her?" Sora giggled. Roxas smiled.

"Go ahead and try."

***

Olette was cleaning up the kitchen whistling innocently to herself. Roxas and Sora peeked around the corner to watch as Axel made his way over to her with a confident stride. Sora giggled and the blonde nudged him in the ribs to keep him quiet. Axel moved behind Olette when she was at the sink and put his hands on either side of her on the counter and leaned in to whisper in her ear from behind. The girl let out a surprised yelp when she didn't realize who it was but quickly settled.

"What's he saying, Roxxy?" Sora whispered.

"I have no idea."

Axel reached up and brushed the girl's hair from her face and she laughed a little and leaned back against him. He whispered more to her and grinned, causing Olette to say something back to him and bat at him playfully. He caught her hand in mid swing and smiled before pulling her hand up and kissing her fingers lightly from over her shoulder. She turned around and gazed up to him dreamily and with flushed cheeks.

"Shit, you just gave your boyfriend away, Roxxy."

"Shut up!" Roxas growled. Axel didn't have to be so serious about it. He had proved his point already.

Olette pushed herself up against Axel and leaned on his chest. He hugged her lightly. She let out a sigh and looked into his eyes again before whispering something to him and he nodded. She took his hand and led him away from the kitchen and towards her bedroom. Roxas' mouth dropped open. Sora started to outright laugh, not bothering to keep it quiet. In the distance, Olette's door opened and closed.

"Oh my god Roxxy you're so stupid! Why did you do that?"

"Be quiet Sora!" Roxas said, his face covered in a veil of worry. He paced back and fourth a few times before making is way down the hallway and putting an ear to Olette's door, Sora following suit.

"Oh Axel! You don't know how long I have been waiting to do this," Olette swooned. They heard a throaty laugh come from the redhead before the rhythmic pounding of a headboard meeting a wall. Olette was panting sensually and making small feminine moans that made Roxas' blood run cold. She said something in French to the redhead and he grunted at her.

"What did she say, Roxxy?" Sora asked quietly.

"She asked him if he was wearing a condom…" Roxas said slowly and his heart sunk. "He… He wouldn't understand her. We have to stop him, Sora!" The blonde grabbed the other boy's shirt collar and shook him frantically.

"Don't get angry! You're the one that challenged his manhood. Even gay guys have that sort of basic instinct," Sora threw up his hands. Olette interrupted their spat with a giddy moan and Axel followed up with a breathless noise of his own. Their tandem panting became more heightened.

"I need to stop this…" Roxas declared before turning the knob and shoving the door open. "Axel!" he called before he could stop himself. Olette was sitting on the bed, fully clothed and snickering with Axel sitting on the floor with his back against the footboard pushing it back so the headboard thumped a few times. He had an enormous grin on his face.

"Got you," Olette called and started giggling. Sora burst into uproarious laughter. Axel stood and patted Roxas on the shoulder with a smile as he left, leaving the blonde to stare at the girl with his mouth open.

***

"Oh ha ha funny, make fun of the guy who has no experience with women, I get it," Roxas huffed. Axel was stretched out on his bed looking pleased with himself. It was bedtime and both boys were dressed in full pajama sets. Axel didn't feel safe sleeping with his shirt off while Sora was in the house.

"It's your own fault. But I will admit it was fun."

"You're an ass."

"A very content ass."

"I might just sleep with Sora tonight after all."

"Go right ahead, I'm satisfied."

"You misunderstand me. Sora has been begging for it for years," Roxas said with a smug smile. Axel narrowed his eyes on him.

"Not funny."

"I was being serious."

"Not. Funny."

"Jealous?"

"Getting angry," Axel growled. The door between their rooms flung open and Sora bounded into Axel's side and draped his arms around Roxas' shoulders.

"Ready for bed Roxxy?" he asked gleefully.

"I am and I'm looking forward to it," Roxas said with a smile. Sora grinned and nuzzled his face into the blonde's hair. Axel glared. The pair walked to the passage together and Roxas waved a little before closing the door behind them.

Axel made his way over to the door and pressed his ear against it. There were a series of giggles coming from Sora and a short laugh from Roxas. The redhead furrowed his brows together at the noises and didn't know what to make of them. Paranoia started to slip in and he chewed on a fingernail, trying to contemplate the situation. Was it worth letting Sora sleep with them? Should he be concerned about them being alone together? He knew about their history but only briefly, and he didn't know if they had ever had a relationship at any point. If they did, was it serious? A passing phase? Axel didn't like it. When everything quieted, he listened closely and heard light whispers followed by the occasional giggle. He prepared himself for looking like a total idiot before he opened the door.

"Don't look we're naked!" Sora cried and the covers were flung high.

"Not funny," Axel said. The blanket settled and both boys were holding it up and above their noses so the redhead couldn't actually see of they were naked or not. He stalked around the bed and grabbed onto Roxas and pulled him across the bed, causing the blanket to go with him. The blonde yelped as Axel hoisted him up like a sack of potatoes again and carried him into his bedroom but left the door open. They were both clothed. He angrily tossed his comforter back and shoved Roxas in before following inside himself. The redhead wrapped his arms around Roxas' waist and buried his face in the blonde's stomach. The covers were pulled over them, encasing them in a cavern of fabric.

"Jealous?" Roxas asked.

"Shut up," Axel huffed. He was angry with himself. He fell for it, but he couldn't stand the thought of Roxas being in bed with someone who wasn't him. He sighed. He wasn't happy with the situation and he would've preferred it if Sora fell off of a cliff, but he had no other alternative unless he really wanted to lose sleep over the brunette. "You're in the middle," he said gruffly and Roxas smiled. The blonde pulled his face gently and Axel crawled up to look in his eyes.

"Thank you," he said quietly and pressed their lips together, rewarding the redhead with a bit of tongue. "I'll pay you back, I swear."

"You better."

"You're so whipped," Sora called from outside of the bed. Axel's face immediately turned harsh and Roxas touched his cheek to calm him. Axel thought for a minute before pulling Roxas' legs around his waist and grinding against the blonde a little. The blonde let out a breathy sigh. "Hey!" Sora exclaimed and threw the covers back and immediately smacked himself in the forehead when he saw the two of them fully clothed and grinning at his gullibility.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"You're up _early_, hot damn," Xigbar said, looking at his watch. It was a little after five in the morning and the older man was still in his jet black pajamas and slippers, fixing himself some coffee. Axel padded over to the breakfast bar and sat heavily on a stool and let his forehead meet the countertop with a '_thunk_.' He had another headache.

"I didn't sleep," he said grumpily. He couldn't keep his eyes closed the previous night knowing that Sora was nuzzling on Roxas for most of the evening. He was almost angry at blonde for being able to fall asleep so easily. His body ached with the tension and his mind was foggy from the lack of rest. He was miserable.

"Rough night?" Xigbar poured the redhead a cup and took one for himself.

"You have no idea."

"Eh, it can't be as bad as waking up and finding your wife passed out on the couch with someone else."

"It's almost what I feel li—you were married?"

"Mhm."

"I didn't know that."

"I never said anything, it was a while ago. We were only married for two years and we knew each other for the last three before that. She went to company party while I was home on leave and I woke up to find her passed out on her boss with almost nothing on. Her boss was a woman."

"Ouch."

"Turns out she was a closet lesbian. I couldn't even get angry with her. We still talk every now and again. She has like, four adopted kids now with her partner or something."

"Nice story," Axel said with a brief smile.

"Make you feel better?"

"Not in the least."

"I tried."

"Thanks for that." Axel sat up and sipped his coffee idly, willing his body to stop hurting. He was starting to let his mind linger a little and it was brought back to his addictive desires. "So uh… did you find anything interesting at Riku's?" he asked, looking at the man out the corner of his eye.

"Nothing in particular. He cleaned all the important stuff out."

"Oh…" Axel said trying his best to not sound completely dejected.

"Axel." Xigbar stated with a hard look.

"Yeah?"

"Don't even think about it."

"I'm trying not to, honest."

"What can I do to help you?"

"Take me to the clinic when it opens."

"I'll have Olette drive you, what about until then?" Xigbar asked, letting the tension out of his brows.

"I'm not sure," Axel sipped at his coffee before setting it on the counter and itching his arm idly. He twirled a piece of hair around his finger and gave it a quick tug to distract himself. Xigbar took a moment to think about the situation. He dug in his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and tossed it to the redhead. Axel looked at it.

"I won't tell Roxas."

***

Eight o'clock rolled around and as per the normal routine, Axel was thrust into the car with Olette and subjected to the horror that is Greek traffic. This time, he was by himself and in the front seat so he could take in the full brunt of the chaos. Olette, on the other hand, was very pleasant and swayed in her seat to a song on the radio like she usually did, humming happily. She smiled and turned up the volume and started to sing along loudly and Axel rubbed his aching temples.

The clinic was as it always was; sterile, quiet, and square. Axel took his methadone just like a good little addict and left with a wave, dreading the ride home. Olette was waiting for him outside with a smile. She didn't lead him back to the car; instead they started towards a strip of restaurants and cafés.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Shopping. It is almost Christmas!" she exclaimed excitedly. Axel blinked. He had forgotten about the date. The mild winter climate of Greece also aided in his forgetfulness as he realized it was actually December.

"What day is it?" he asked curiously. Olette dug into her pocket and pulled out her phone and clicked a button.

"It is the twenty first."

"Holy shit, I didn't even remember."

"You were a little distracted."

"Yeah…I don't even know what to get anyone."

"Let us walk and see what we see. I can call my friends and have them meet us somewhere if you like. They are always good for advice."

"If that's what you want to do, I don't have any objections."

The pair parked themselves at a small café not far from where they had started and Olette bought them both a coffee. They sat together at one of the tiny tables and Olette yammered on excitedly into her phone on several occasions before she was satisfied and set it down. They waited together for over forty five minutes and Axel used the time to people watch. A taxi pulled up outside and a small group of girls exited. Olette smiled wide and waved at them.

"Axel, I want you to meet my friends from school. Kairi, Aerith, and Yuffie. They are all from out of the country just like me, and they all speak English."

"Oh thank god," Axel said with obvious relief and the girls giggled at him. He leaned back in his seat and tried his best to give them a smile through his grogginess.

"Girls, Axel needs our help," Olette said and they all snapped to attention. It was almost comical in the way she directed them and they all nodded in unison to her words like they were lifeblood and they would die if Axel didn't find just the right Christmas present for _everyone_. She explained everyone that Axel was living with currently and what they were like, except for Sora.

"He is part of that amazing house?" Aerith gasped with a heavy Russian accent. Axel raised a brow. Olette nodded and the girl blushed shyly and put a hand to her cheek. "Oh my," she said and looked Axel over. His mind was in a fog and wasn't even attempting to figure anything out at this point. He just went with whatever the girls said to him and let them have their way. After their briefing, the girls all smiled at him and Olette took his hand again and pulled him along.

***

They burst through the door of a jewelers and Yuffie started to yell in Korean across the shop. Another voice answered her from the back before a man came around the corner. Aerith, Kairi and Olette all squeezed around a necklace case and went about gossiping amongst themselves and leaving the redhead to browse. The shop itself was fairly low key. It was in an obviously old building with musty glass cases and stained carpeting. The lighting was low and it reminded Axel of a pawn shop rather than a legitimate jewelers.

When he looked into the cases though, he was blown away at the amount of glittering gems and metals. What the shop lacked in atmosphere it gained in quality of the merchandise. Very few of the pieces were name brand, he noticed. The Rolex's in one case against the far wall were all overly priced but the rest of the chains, bracelets and things that could be made without any mechanics involved, were all very reasonable.

"This is my family's shop. We make most of our stock ourselves in the back. No two pieces are alike," Yuffie said when she caught him gaping. "Feel free to put in a request and we can have whatever you like done before Christmas," she said with a smile. She left him to his decision making and made her way into back of the store, talking in Asian gibberish. Olette came up to him.

"Find anything?" she asked. Axel thought through his fuzziness and looked at the rings.

"I'm a little overwhelmed," he admitted without thinking.

"I can see if I can haggle with someone if you are having sticker shock."

"No, it's not that. I'm just not used to having to buy for so many people. It's usually just me and my mom."

"Oh. Well we can take it one person at a time. Shall we start with Roxas?"

"I couldn't even think of anything to get him for his birthday. What do you give a guy that has everything already?" the redhead leaned his elbow on the case and rested his cheek in his hand, looking inside. He noticed a plain, wide, gold ring with a flat surface. There was a tag next to it that Axel couldn't read. He pointed to it, "what does that say?" Olette leaned over.

"Customizable."

***

The next store was a tiny bookstore that Aerith's family owned. Rows of bookcases lined the walls and stacks of the tomes made the isles. Axel had absolutely no idea what Zexion liked to read. The man didn't talk much, and the redhead barely acknowledged that he existed most days.

"Believe it or not, Zexion likes romance novels," Olette said with a bright grin. Axel crinkled his brows together with the mental image of the solemn faced slate-haired man lounging around with a paperback that had a picture of Fabio on the cover. "You don't believe me?"

"It's hard to imagine. But I'll take your word for it; if you can help me find a couple for him that would be great." Olette smiled and took his hand and led him around the store. They both ended up buying two books each for the man and the small group quickly exited and pushed Axel long the sidewalk to their next destination.

As the hours whittled away the redhead was becoming more and more exhausted. His body hurt, his arm itched almost constantly and he just wanted to go home. He tried his best to not show his contempt for the gaggle of women but it was difficult. They shoved him through several more shops looking for something that Xigbar would like but they were quickly losing hope.

"Does he wear ties?" Aerith asked.

"I doubt it," Kairi chimed in an incredibly clear western voice. It was like music to Axel's ears to hear someone outside of the house without an accent, he wanted to hug her. "The man is big and boring."

"He likes coffee and guns and smoking," Olette said and Yuffie laughed.

"Let's buy him a rifle," the Asian girl said with a grin.

"Good luck with that one," Kairi retorted. "I say you get him a couple of nice cigars and some premium coffee, Axel," she suggested. "Cid is the best guy I know for cigars, let's head that way."

The redhead followed behind the quartet for over half a mile. He was about to protest the distance when the girls rounded a door frame and into a log cabin looking shop. Kairi started jabbering on in Greek to a blonde haired man that looked far too confident in Axel's opinion. Aerith waved to the man and he smiled wide with both rows of pearly whites that made him seem much less imposing. It took a moment for the redhead to realize that he was in a paraphernalia shop.

He looked around curiously at the display cases and with wide eyes at devices that would've been considered illegal back home, but were open for the public to see and touch. Pipes, elongated cigarette holders, kiseru's, bowls, and even the occasional hooka lined the shelves in multi-colored glass and swirling patterns. Some of them were even artfully crafted into the shapes of animals and plants. He forced himself to look away from the wall before his mind could wander any further and went to stand with the girls. Kairi was still talking to the man and leaning on a case of cigars.

"These things aren't like… spiked are they?" Axel asked. Olette looked confused. "Xigbar isn't going to be blasted after smoking one of these is he?" Kairi chimed in, still in Greek, to help the girl understand what he meant.

"Oh! No no!" Olette said with a giggle. "The method of smoking is legal still, the actual drug is not."

"Okay good, I was a little worried for a minute." Cid moved to stand in front of the redhead and Aerith started to speak for him. The blonde man had a contemplative face before shuffling around his wares and producing a box of cigars and holding one out for Axel to smell. The process repeated itself several times before the redhead could make his decision and bought a box.

He was quickly ushered out of the shop and led down the street a few blocks and into another café. It was similar to the one Olette and he sat in to wait for the girls to arrive before, but this one looked a little more upscale and smelled like legitimate coffee versus powder and sugar. On the wall were several framed awards. The group sampled little tastes of the various brews with a spry looking cashier. Olette coughed and held her sample to Axel for him to try. He sipped it and stuck out his tongue in disgust.

"Gah! That's terrible," he said. He had to admit that it woke him up some, so he supposed it served its purpose. Each of girls took curious tastes as well and everyone had the same reaction except for Aerith who put her hands on her cheeks and swooned, speaking in Russian.

"I think you should get some in a little bag and hang it off the side for a gag gift," Kairi said, smacking her slips to rid herself of the bitter taste.

"I'm tempted to," Axel agreed. Yuffie and Kairi urged him on and he caved, asking for a cup's worth in addition to the pound of another kind. Aerith couldn't understand why it was so funny to them; she bought a pound of the terrible java for herself. Olette and Yuffie walked out of the café together and waited for the other three to follow. Axel grabbed Kairi's arm and leaned down to whisper to her. "You think you can help me find something for Olette?" he asked. She grinned.

Kairi told the girls to wait at the café while she and Axel walked a few blocks and rounded a corner together. "What did you have in mind?" she asked when they were out of earshot.

"I have no idea. You know her better than I do, what does she like?"

"Well, she likes girly things. Shiny, small, and cute things. It doesn't matter if it has a purpose; she just likes things in miniature," she said simply.

"Sounds like someone else I know," Axel muttered with a vision of Sora's sugar fueled mannerisms in his mind.

"Oh yeah? Want to get them something too?"

"Who, Sora? I don't think so."

"Sora? A boy? He likes girly things?" Kairi asked with a raised brow. She stopped in front of a shop that looked mostly pastel and fluffy inside. They walked in together and Axel was bombarded by every meaningless trinket he could ever imagine. It took him a moment to register that the girl had asked him a question.

"Well… he seems to be a little on the feminine side. He calls everything cute, and can practically fly around the house with the amount of hyperactivity he emits."

"Weird."

"Yeah, I'm not a fan."

"Oh. So you don't want to get him anything?"

"I'd feel bad if I didn't, but no, I really don't. He'd totally take it the wrong way too," Axel stooped to squint at a display case of delicate glass sculptures. Most of them seemed like the sorts of things his mother would buy to throw on their mantle above the fireplace. He felt a pang in his heart when he recalled the memories and moved onto something else, to avoid it.

"Why would you feel bad? If you don't want to, don't do it."

"I think Roxas would get angry at me," he said with a downtrodden face.

"Well then get him something small and stupid."

"I think we're in the right place for that, good god look at this shit," he said and picked up a porcelain statuette of a bear in a tutu. "Who buys this crap?"

"Tourists, mostly. Female tourists."

"Ah. Makes sense," he set the thing down. "Help me out here; I don't know what she likes." Kairi took her time to browse and they ended up in a narrow isle of French-themed figurines. Axel picked up a fragile looking ornate box and opened it. A glass Eiffel Tower sprung up on a spring and the box creaked a little before a short tune plinked to life. It slowed some and came to a stop and Axel rewound the crank to hear the entire thing. Kairi smiled.

"Perfect."

***

The girls were happy to see Axel and Kairi come back. They said their goodbyes and Axel thanked them a hundred times over for their help. Olette smiled happily as she hailed a taxi to take them back to where they left the car. Taxi drivers were twice as horrible at driving then the girl was and Axel was thankful when he was finally sitting in the car with her, for once.

"Hey Olette?"

"Hmm?"

"Where is Kairi from?"

"Alberta, Canada. Why?"

"She didn't have an accent to me and I was just curious. I forgot to ask her," he said and settled back into his seat. He was exhausted but wasn't able to fall asleep with Olette slamming on the breaks every now and again and yelling out the window.

***

"Where did you go?" Roxas asked curiously. It was early afternoon by the time Axel got back from his adventure and he immediately came in the house and flopped on his bed. "You were gone forever."

"Hmnnfrr snng," Axel responded through a mouthful of fabric. When the blonde didn't respond he tried again after turning his head to the side. "Christmas shopping."

"Oh. I had nearly forgotten about that. I'll have to ask Xigbar if we can secure a tree."

"Not a big deal to you guys?"

"Not really. Most of the past Christmases were pretty barren as far as my family goes."

"It's been just my mom and I, but we had fun."

"I see. We can try to throw something together; I'll have to go shopping, myself." Roxas came to sit on the bed and ran his fingers through Axel's hair. "How're you feeling today?"

"Tired. I can't think about much else other than sleeping."

"Didn't sleep well last night?"

"No."

"Oh… I wondered why you were up so early. I still appreciate you letting Sora sleep with us though."

"Whatever, you still owe me one."

"I know. What would you like?"

"I have no idea right now. Ask me later."

"Okay, I'll let you take a nap," Roxas said and leaned down to kiss him through his hair. He left the redhead in peace and Axel quickly shoved his bag of items under his bed before stripping and throwing himself into the covers to sleep.

***

Axel's alarm on his phone beeped incessantly and he groped over the surface of the nightstand to turn it off. It was starting to get dark out but he had set the alarm to wake him up for dinner. There was movement next to him and he froze, opening one eye slowly to a tuft of brown hair.

"Hi Axeeeellll," Sora said with a grin. "I can see your boxers." Axel's eyes flew wide and his fist jutted forward and connected with the brunette's nose before he could stop himself. Sora yelled and sat up, holding his face.

"Get the fuck out of my bed you little shit!" Axel yelled and shoved the boy out and onto the floor with his feet. Sora yelped and took his hand away to catch himself unsuccessfully.

"What the hell? I was just saying hello," he wined from the carpet

"Yeah and waiting for me to wake up like some creep stalker, get out!" he bellowed. Sora wiped at his nose as a trickle of blood dribbled out.

"You made me bleed! Ass!"

"Get out!" he yelled. The door flew open and Roxas was standing in the doorway with daggers shooting from his eyes.

"What is going on in—Sora! What are you doing in here? Get out!"

Axel was relieved, "thank you!"

"He punched me, Roxxy!" Sora sniffled and showed him his hands which were smeared with blood.

"You probably deserved it, go!" Roxas said and pointed out the door. Sora huffed and left. Axel flopped back against his pillows and let out an exasperated sigh. Roxas came in and set next to the redhead. "I'm sorry."

"I don't like him."

"I know."

"I'm not sure you understand just how much I don't like him."

"I have an idea."

"When is he leaving?"

"When we get home."

"That's too long for me. You won't send him on a plane by himself?"

"And risk him veering off to see Riku? I don't think so."

"Ah yes, Riku. I am beginning to see why he's so insane."

"Who's insane Riku? Or Sora?"

"Well they both are. But I was referring to Riku having to live with Sora, and thus making him insane."

"I think Xemnas' rearing had something to do with it, myself."

"Stir that detail into the pot and you get crazy soup," Axel said and stared at the ceiling.

"Sora isn't _crazy_, per se. Hyperactive, clingy, and childish is more accurate. I'm actually surprised he hasn't latched onto Xigbar yet. He _loves _Xigbar."

"Oh god, I pity him." Axel stretched and rolled onto his stomach. "What kind of guy is Xemnas?"

"To everyone on the outside he's very charismatic and fun to be around. If you're his daughter you don't know him, and if you're his son you're spoiled. Once you get on the inside though, he's still plenty charismatic but for the wrong reasons. He's manipulative and knows how to get the things he wants with total disregard for any sort of morality. He was able to snag my mother on a few other occasions outside of this year's Thanksgiving even with her knowing all his shady business practices; and she's a drunk, not stupid."

"Oh. Did he count Sora as his son? What about Leon?"

"Leon was the oldest and he knew better. He was older than Riku, even. I wasn't around him much but from what I gather he was the most normal one out of all three and didn't listen to Xemnas' nonsense. Sora sees him as a father figure, but I'm not really sure how Xemnas reciprocated the feeling."

"Hm. I think I would've liked Leon if… yeah."

"You would have, he was very nice." Both boys took an awkward moment to reflect on their brief time with the older boy. Before Axel could get himself into a fit with the mental images of Leon's passing he curled himself around and shoved his face into Roxas' thigh. The blonde stared into space blankly and ran his fingers through Axel's hair.

"I need to eat, don't put me to sleep," the redhead warned and Roxas stopped.

"You _do_ need to eat. You need to eat like fifteen cakes and then go out for McDonalds."

"I know I know…"

"I'll see if I can get Olette to bake something. Or better yet, you and I can."

"Keep Sora out of the sugar and we can do that," Axel said and Roxas smiled.

"No guarantees."

***

Dinner was relatively quiet. Any time there was talking it was usually Sora and Olette going at it. They both cleaned up together while Xigbar left to go outside to smoke and Zexion went off somewhere to do whatever it was he did all day. Axel had no idea what the man did, and he didn't ask. The redhead had Xigbar's pack of cigarettes tucked away for emergency use in his dresser for if things got really bad but for now, he was resisting the urge of following him outside and focusing all his attention on his blonde counterpart.

"Too bad I can't read this," Roxas said as he flipped through a recipe book. The pages had pictures though and he stopped on one. The cake looked relatively simple to make and it had a short list of ingredients compared to some of the others. "Olette, do we have everything on this list here?" he asked and showed her the book. She turned away from the dishes to squint at the page.

"We do, but probably not enough to make any icing for it. I'll see if we have the premade stuff," and with that she went to the pantry to investigate. "Or we could just used powdered sugar!" she called once inside.

"Oo, what kind of cake are you guys making?" Sora asked.

"I have no idea," Roxas said.

"Well that's sort of weird don't you think?"

"Can you read it? I can't."

"Sure, let me see," Sora said and took the book from Roxas. The blonde and the redhead exchanged quizzical glances with one another. It had never occurred to either of them that Sora might know Greek. Sora squinted at the letters for a moment "γιαουρτόπιτα," he said. "It's a yogurt cake. Almost like a pound cake," he smiled.

"Very good," Olette chimed from the pantry.

"Thanks! I've gotta be good something, right? Can I help?" Axel wanted to tell him to 'fuck off and die' but he didn't think the situation warranted that response just yet. Roxas looked contemplative.

"It's up to Axel," he said. Sora immediately turned to the redhead with watery puppy-dog eyes and a smile. He clasped his hands together and brought them up to his face, squishing his cheek up lightly. For all intents and purposes, Sora was in fact, being incredibly cute and Axel hated himself for admitting it. Roxas stifled a laugh at Sora's expression and pushed himself from his seat and stood next to the brunette and cleared his throat a little before turning to Axel and assuming an identical position next to his friend. The blonde was bold enough to wag his hips a little.

"Good lord," was all Axel could utter and he rubbed his brows. Olette came back from the pantry and set her armfuls of ingredients on the counter and squealed in delight at the pair. "You say it's up to me and then you pull this shit."

"Look at them Axel it's a matching pair!" Olette twittered and threw her arms around both boys and squashed them to her chest.

"Are you both _really_ adults?" Axel asked, he crossed his arms gruffly in attempts to make it look like the portrayal hadn't fazed him. Sora hugged onto Olette with vigor and Roxas's act crumpled. It was, after all, an act and he wasn't about to continue it past its expiration date.

"My mental state stopped developing when I was six," Sora said simply with a smile.

"At least you admit it," the redhead responded. Roxas pulled away from Olette and left her to ogle Sora. He went to Axel and looked up expectantly. The taller boy raised a brow in question at him.

"Is that a yes?" Roxas asked.

"Hm? Oh, sure. Whatever."

"Did you hear that Olette!? Axel likes me!" Sora squealed. Axel rolled his eyes and walked past them all and behind the countertops to dig around and find a mixing bowl and other utensils. Olette and Sora peeped at each other for another moment before she walked out, leaving them to it.

"So why is it you couldn't sleep with her last night but you can be all over her now?" Axel asked. Sora sat at the counter and manned the recipe book. Roxas moved around a looked over the brunette's shoulder.

"Girls are nice to play with but not nice to sleep with," he chirped. He pointed to something in the book, "five eggs, Rooxy." Sora kicked his dangling feet idly and waited to give the next instruction. "Are you _that_ upset that I slept with you two last night?"

"Axel didn't sleep well," Roxas added before Axel could shoot his mouth off.

"I thought it was fantastic," the brunette said happily. "Don't worry my flaming friend; I won't take Roxxy from you unless you say it's okay to share."

"Flaming? Who's flaming?" Axel said with a scowl. He tapped an egg on the countertop before breaking it nicely into the bowl.

"You are, silly. Your hair looks like fire." Axel looked to Roxas who gave him a little shrug.

"It sort of does," the blonde agreed. Axel took a piece of hair and pulled it in front of his face to look at it.

"I wasn't aware that fire looked like bleeding strawberries," he quipped.

"Ooo, good adjectives," Sora said with a smile. "I like your hair. Mine's boring and it sticks up in weird places. Roxas' just makes me think of a sheep."

"A sheep?" the blonde asked.

"Yeah."

"How am I a sheep?"

"Okay maybe not a _sheep_, but a lamb definitely."

"A lamb!?" Roxas gaped at the brunette. Axel ignored them and broke two more eggs. "What the hell, Sora?"

"Have you touched your hair _ever_? It reminds me of lambs at the petting zoo." Axel snickered at this, and Sora grinned. "See? Axel agrees."

"As if I need another reason to be called cute," Roxas huffed. Axel wiped his hands on a towel and ran his fingers through the blonde's hair.

"I was thinking soft like baby hair," he said with a smirk and Roxas smacked his hand away and went to retrieve a measuring cup.

"Babies too, I can definitely see babies," Sora agreed. He fired off a few measurements and Roxas began to scoop up the flour. There was a brief silence before Sora gasped. "Axel have you ever seen Roxas' baby pictures!?"

"Sora!" Roxas yelled, with a light blush. "Really? Do we have to go there?"

"I have seen them, actually," Axel said with a curt smile. Roxas whirled on him with his mouth open.

"What!? When?"

"The…" the redhead started and moved his brows around in contemplation "day after I played baseball with Namine's friends. She insisted I see them."

"I'm going to kill her," Roxas muttered and blushed a bright crimson.

"Why is that so bad? You can see mine if it bothers you so much."

"Because it reinforces the whole 'cute factor' for me and I _really_ don't like it."

"Well it would be creepy if people saw babies and were like 'Oh man! That is one hot piece of baby!'" Sora said. "They're supposed to be cute."

"Namine always does that though. I hate it," the blonde huffed. "How the hell does she expect me to save face if she shows everyone my fucking baby pictures? I'm the goddamn head CEO of a multi-billion dollar company for Christ's sake!"

"Calm down, its okay," Axel said and patted him on the back. Roxas brushed him off and glowered at the mixing bowl. He dug into his pocket and tapped angrily at his Blackberry for a few minutes before shoving it in his pocket again. Axel raised an eyebrow, "what was that for?"

"Sent her an angry text," Roxas spat. Sora giggled.

"Very mature, Roxxy."

"It's times like these I'm glad I'm an only child," Axel said and kissed Roxas' on the top of his head. The blonde ran a hand over his face and sighed. Sora instructed the pair around the kitchen some more and soon enough they were mostly finished. Xigbar walked in casually and quirked a brow at the group.

"What are you making?" he asked.

"Cake," Sora said.

"Are you sharing?"

"Roxas said I need to eat fifteen of them," Axel said and started to beat together margarine, butter, and sugar.

"No literally," the blonde added.

"I think that sounds like a great evening," Xigbar said and sat next to Sora and looked over at the book. "You can read that?"

"Yep," the brunette said with a satisfied smile. Axel and Roxas folded everything together and poured the batter into a pan. They shoved it in the oven and the timer was set for forty-five minutes. They began the cleanup and Xigbar stole a spoon to lick.

"That's something I would've expected from Sora, Xigbar," Roxas chided.

"I actually wanted to do that," the brunette said.

"Too bad," the older man said and handed the spoon back. Axel yawned and started to fill the sink with water and soap.

"Tired?" the blonde asked.

"Always."

"Sora and I can clean up if you want to sleep."

"I'll be fine."

"Speaking of sleep…" Sora started. "Am I allowed to bunk with you guys again?"

"No," Roxas said and Axel raised a brow at the blonde for answering so quickly. Sora looked shocked as well.

"You didn't like sleeping with me, Roxxy?" the brunette pouted. Xigbar watched the scenario with a bland expression.

"You need to learn to sleep by yourself again."

"But…" he hesitated and Roxas threw up a hand to silence him. Sora sighed. "I don't like being alone." The brunette's chin started to quiver and Axel watched Roxas' expression soften. He nudged the blonde and Roxas turned away from the brunette to start working on the dishes. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Roxas steadily becoming more and more torn up about making Sora so upset. Axel felt bad for Roxas feeling bad and between the blonde's downtrodden expression and Sora's pitiful sniffling; it started to wear on him.

Throughout the dishwashing process, Axel tried his best to think of all the horrible things that Sora had caused around him, to try and force himself to start to hate him again. He was sure he'd feel the seething rage in the morning when he needed another dose of methadone but at that moment he was quickly growing tired of being angry all the time. Sora and Roxas' twin display of adorable pleading earlier scrolled through his head and he sighed. He was a sucker for big blue eyes.

"Fine," he huffed, already getting frustrated with himself.

"Fine?" Roxas asked.

"He can stay if you want him to."

"Really?" Sora piped and Xigbar chuckled under his breath before leaving. The brunette flung himself out of his chair and bounced around the countertop to plow himself into Axel. The taller boy grunted and Sora rubbed his cheek against his back. Roxas blinked at the redhead.

"Are you sure?" he asked with an incredulous tone.

"No, but you guys are acting pitiful and it's killing me. Get him off of me, please." Sora backed off and grinned, wiping at his eyes.

"Good enough for me!" The brunette exclaimed. Roxas smiled a little. Sora scuttled away and up the stairs to put on his pajamas leaving the pair alone.

"You're so sensitive," the blonde teased and nudged Axel.

"You're the one that can't say no to someone who's crying."

"Yeah well, just admit you're starting to like him."

"I can't decide if I'm just really tired and don't want to deal with his shit or if I actually do."

"I think you do. Do you forgive him yet?"

"No."

"One step at a time I suppose."

"Just keep him off of me, and I'll deal."

"Thank you." They scrubbed together in silence for a few moments. "Have you decided what I can do for you to pay you back yet?"

"I haven't thought about it. I'll get back to you on that."

***

Axel swore under his breath when his finger pressed two buttons at once. He was getting frustrated at his Blackberry and grumbled as he had to start all over again. He was tempted to toss the thing aside and do his math long hand but that would mean he'd have to find a piece of paper and he wasn't feeling that ambitious. He had the total of his receipts already but he was attempting to do the currency exchange conversion and it was beginning to give him a whole new headache.

"Fuck it, deal with it later," he said to himself and exited out of the calculator and tossed the device on his nightstand. He shuffled his receipts back together in a neat pile and shoved them back into the bag from his shopping excursion. He crossed the room and picked out a pair of pajama pants and changed into them and then contemplated a shirt. He didn't have enough time to think thoroughly when the door to his side of the bathroom came open and Roxas stepped through rubbing his hair with a towel.

"Do I really feel like a lamb?"

"Do I look like a used tampon in the snow?"

"Touché."

"No seriously, do I?" Axel asked.

"No, you don't."

"Okay I'll take your word for it."

"Do I really feel like a lamb?" Roxas repeated.

"Will you hurt me if I say yes?"

"No," the blonde sighed and his expression drooped. Axel smiled and pulled the boy against him nuzzling his damp hair against his cheek.

"I like it," he said and Roxas wrapped his arms around the redhead's waist.

"At least as one of us does." They held each other for a minute before Roxas spoke again, "are you going to forgo the shirt tonight? It was weird not feeling your skin last night."

"I can. Just keep him away from me."

"Okay." Roxas pulled away and stood on the tips of his toes to give Axel a kiss on his chin and made his way to the bed, letting the towel drop to the floor. "I wonder what's taking Sora so long."

"I don't care?" Axel asked and followed him.

"I know you don't but you'd think he'd be here by now since he was so excited to sleep with us. He even missed the cake."

"Think he ran off?"

"I doubt it, someone would've noticed him."

The pair folded themselves together under the blankets and enjoyed a quiet moment alone. Roxas combed his fingers through Axel's hair gently and the redhead closed his eyes and reveled in the touch. The doorknob twisted quietly and the door was pushed open gently. Sora stood in the doorway with a blank expression and puffy eyes like he had been crying for a long time. Axel and Roxas sat up in the bed and looked at him curiously.

"Roxxy…" Sora said in a melancholy tone. It shook Axel a little to hear him speak that way and the brunette's entire manner of being was completely different to him; it was dark, depressed, shattered even. He let out a sigh and sniffled.

"What happened, Sora?" Roxas asked.

"Riku isn't coming for me."

The blonde pushed himself out of the bed and went to his friend. "Why are you bringing this up now?" Sora held up his cell phone and Roxas took it. Axel couldn't see from where he was sitting and his curiosity overwhelmed him so he left the bed and went to check it out. Roxas handed the phone to him and he looked at the screen. There was a text from Riku that read '_Don't bother._' Axel gave it back to Sora and the brunette let it slide from his hand to the floor. He hid his face in his hands and heaved a sob.

The noise Sora made was the most pitiful thing Axel had ever heard. It was a desperate sound, one that small animals made when their throats were clamped in a predators maw. The brunette shook with his cries and fell to his knees limply. Roxas stooped to sit with him but Axel stayed standing. He folded his arms over his chest and walked back to the bed and sat. Roxas gave him a small glare over his shoulder but the redhead didn't notice.

"Fuck him," Axel said as he stared intently at the plaster wall.

"Axel!" Roxas chastised. "Have a little heart. I don't like Riku any more than you do but—"

"I meant fuck Riku." Axel was mentally kicking himself for feeling bad for Sora, but he couldn't help it.

"Oh." Roxas turned his attention back to Sora who hiccupped and sniffed against his dripping nose. The brunette took a shuddering breath.

"What am I going to do, Roxxy? I don't have anyone else," he sputtered. "If I don't have Riku, I don't have Xemnas, and that means I don't have a family anymore."

"There isn't much I can do about that. What I can tell you to do though, is to come to bed with us and we can decide what to do in the morning," Roxas tried to give the brunette a reassuring smile and Axel huffed and pushed himself under the covers and waited for them. Roxas clicked off the light and pulled Sora with him. The blonde headed in first and faced Sora who threw himself in and locked onto Roxas with a frantic clutch. The redhead had his back to them and sighed, hoping he would be able to fall asleep.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The sun was high in the turquoise sky when Axel finally opened his eyes. He blinked uncomfortably a few times against the light but for the first time in while, he felt rested and _normal_. His mind was clear, his skin didn't itch and his body didn't ache. He wondered what happened, but thought it best not to jinx it. He shifted around under the covers and discovered he was alone. The house sounded quiet and peaceful; there weren't any hyperactive squeals from Sora and there wasn't any conversation leaking up from the living space down below. He wondered if everyone was dead.

He rolled over and watched the ceiling for a moment before stretching as far as he could and decided he should probably get up. After a quick shower and the usual routine, he descended the stairs to find the house completely empty. There wasn't a note in the kitchen nor was there any other sign that they left and intended to return. Axel didn't really think that everyone would just up and leave him there, but he was suspicious. He sliced himself a piece of cake for breakfast and headed for the backyard to eat under the sun.

Sora and Zexion were outside. The brunette was draped over one of the swings by his armpits and letting the rest of his body be dragged along behind him. He had a blank face with droopy eyes and he stared into the distance with no intent on doing much else. He glanced at Axel and didn't say anything. Zexion was sitting next to him on the other swing with a book. Axel took his cake and sat at a small table near the door.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked Sora and the brunette sighed. Axel stuck a forkful of cake in his mouth.

"I'm depressed," Sora responded. "I'm trying to come to grips with a life without Riku."

"Oh," the redhead said in response. He didn't care to ask for any elaboration. "Where did everyone go?"

"Roxas, Xigbar, and Olette went Christmas shopping and tree hunting," Zexion said. "I am to watch Sora." He turned a page calmly.

"I don't need a babysitter," the brunette huffed. "What the hell am I going to do? Run away? For what? So I can be homeless?" Zexion shrugged.

"I'm just doing as I'm told."

"Whatever," Sora said and laid his head on the swing.

"Thpeaking of Chrithmath," Axel said around a mouthful of cake. He took a minute to chew and swallow before trying again, "do we have any wrapping paper?"

"In the storage space, I believe we do," Zexion offered.

"Thanks. I'll check it out."

***

It took Axel a while to find the storage space that Zexion was talking about. As it turns out, it was a crawl space off to the side of the cellar and it looked like it hadn't been touched in years. He shoved a couple plastic bins around until he could find one that would fit a roll of wrapping paper in it and looked inside. He went through several roll-sized boxes before he found what he was looking for. As he was hefting the bin out of the crawl space he noticed a box labeled 'albums.' He set his box aside and opened the other one and looked in to find exactly what it said; photo albums.

He carefully pulled one of the books out and opened it. From what Axel could tell after a few pages, the pictures kept here were all from various times Roxas' family had spent in Greece; in that house. The beginning of the book was very lively with pictures of a very young Roxas and Namine playing in the back yard on the swings together, in an inflatable pool together, and riding bikes together. There was a very stately looking older man in a few of the photos that the redhead assumed was Roxas' grandfather. Luxord and Larxene were in a few as well but the contents were mostly of the siblings.

He set the fist book aside and went in for another one. That book contained a slightly older Roxas and Namine sitting around the fireplace together doing an enormous puzzle. Roxas' grandfather was gone but his parents were still there. Axel smiled at the togetherness that each photo portrayed and wished his own family had had the wealth to travel to such a nice place when he was little. He turned another page and the ages seemed to go up. Luxord was gone and Larxene didn't look nearly as happy as the previous pictures.

As Roxas aged through the timeline, his expressions went from bright and youthful to hard and stoic. Namine was less frequent in the later pictures and Larxene was usually doing something incredibly stupid in each one she was in. There were a few pictures of the three of them together where Roxas would have a miserable face and a few bruises on him. Axel furrowed his brows. He didn't like this.

He was hesitant with picking up the next book. He wasn't sure he wanted to see anymore of the decline of the happiness in Roxas' family. There was a substantially smaller book tucked under some of the larger ones at the bottom that he hoped wouldn't be too bad. The cover had a space cut out of the front and inserted in the hole was a picture of Sora, Roxas and Riku with enormous grins on their faces looking to be all of about ten years old together. This one held his interest.

Axel was a little confused. He was thinking about how Roxas had told him that Sora's family and his family went their separate ways when Sora's parents died. This looked to be after that, but it shouldn't have been if the blonde was telling him the truth. He flipped through the first few pages and everyone seemed happy enough. Apparently when he was twelve, Riku liked to do handstands because there was a full three pages of him doing them and Sora and Roxas trying to follow suit. Axel turned the page and he almost gagged.

In the center of the page was a large picture of Larxene in a bikini with a topless Xemnas holding them together in a very passionate kiss. The following pages included various pictures of Xemnas playing with all three boys, and occasionally Namine. This intermittent storyline seemed forgotten in the box and Axel wondered if there was a reason for it. They all seemed incredibly happy together even though Xemnas still gave Axel the creeps and he hated Riku with a mighty passion. It was a family. A family full of odds and ends, but a family none the less and to an outsider looking in, it would've been picturesque. Then the redhead remembered Namine's current infatuation with the man and it made his skin crawl,_ that_ was not okay. He closed the book and threw them all back in the box.

***

One last piece of tape and Axel was finished wrapping. He hefted the small pile of presents to the end of the bed and set them gently on the floor. He had to ask Olette when he could go pick up Roxas' ring, but she and the other two weren't home yet. He was happy he didn't feel the need to go to the clinic that day but it cut back on the things he could occupy himself with. He didn't want to spend time with Sora, mostly because it was Sora and only partly because he was being depressing. Before Axel could leave his room to go find something to do though, the brunette menace wandered in without asking.

"Aaaxeellll…" Sora whined.

"Whaaaat?" the redhead mimicked.

"I'm boooored. And saaaad."

"And what do you want me to do about it?" he said not trying to hide his underlying annoyance.

"Come across the street with me."

"No."

"Why not? I just want to get some stuff."

"I'm not going over there," he glared at the brunette. He wasn't about to sabotage himself.

"Fine," Sora huffed and moved to crawl into the bed. "Ooo presents. Are any for me?"

"No."

"You're so mean."

"I don't like you enough to spend my money on you."

"Aren't you using Roxas' money?"

"I _did_ have a job, you know. I _do_ have a savings account," Axel thought Sora's interjection was incredibly rude and he showed it by glowering harshly at the boy. The brunette didn't seem to notice and bounced a little on the bed. The redhead stooped and began to pick up the little scraps of wrapping paper that littered the floor. "Speaking of that job, why the hell did you even bother to work there?"

"Because Riku wanted me to gather information from you. I was only there for maybe a week."

"You're weird. I don't understand why you care about that guy."

"You wouldn't understand. I don't expect you too either."

"Good because I'm not about to try." Axel discarded the pieces of paper in the bin and turned to face the brunette. He rolled his eyes when he saw that Sora's eyes were watering as he stared at the floor with a blank face. The boy wiped at his face and looked at Axel after a moment and the redhead crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'm sorry," Sora said after a moment of staring.

"What for?" Axel was getting tired of people always apologizing to him for reasons he didn't understand. "You already apologized for attacking me."

"I don't know; I just felt I had to. I know I've put you and Roxas through a lot and I don't want to continue this way. I really don't," Sora said with a bland voice. He sniffled. Axel flexed his jaw and furrowed his brows in thought. He didn't feel he could take Sora's apology seriously yet. Though he had to admit that this situation was the most mature he'd seen the brunette act so maybe it warranted some consideration.

"I'm not sure I'm ready to accept your apology yet, for whatever reason you're apologizing for. But I suppose I can take it a little easier on you considering you've lost someone you've spent so much time with," Axel grumbled.

"Can I have a hug?" Sora asked with his arms open.

"No."

"Okay," he said and lowered his arms again. He heaved a sigh. "I feel a little better now though. Thanks."

"Yeah whatever," Axel said and waved a hand dismissively. He headed for the door and prepared to leave the brunette to himself but Sora followed him. They walked along together and stepped outside and sat on the swings. This time, Zexion was sitting at the table near the door and Sora sat on the seat properly. Axel decided that he would rather stand on the seat and use it as a lift to climb onto the branch it hung from.

"You look like an oversized monkey," Sora said, looking up as Axel hefted himself into the tree.

"You're just jealous of how tall I am," the redhead retorted. "Why _are_ you so damn short? For that matter why is _Roxas_ so damn short? His parents are both pretty tall."

"My mom was a short lady, but Roxas was actually born two months premature so he's a little stunted."

"I didn't know that."

"Yep. I was supposed to be the older one," Sora added and began to pump his legs so he began to swing. Axel climbed a few more branches until figured he had to be a good twenty feet into the air and decided he had enough and reclined back against the trunk. "I wanna come up there," Sora whined.

"If you can reach a branch, go for it."

"No fair."

"Too bad." Through the olive leaves, Axel could see Sora stop himself from swinging. He stood on the seat once it hung steady and took the chain in his hands. He looked a little contemplative before hoisting himself on the chain and using his feet to grab on, pulled himself up the last few inches he needed to reach the branch. "And you called me a monkey?"

"I was a gymnast for three years," Sora hung from the branch with his hands before giving his body a good swing and using the momentum to pull himself up. "I like to be up high. It makes me feel like I'm part of the sky." He grunted as he pulled himself over another branch. "But I've been out of practice for a while, so I'm kind of flabby."

"I was never motivated enough to do anything organized. I played baseball but never on a team."

"Roxas likes baseball."

"I know he does."

"I'm not any good at it." Sora pulled himself over another branch and stood on it to balance as he reached for another. The branch he was reaching for was far thinner than anything that looked like it could hold his weight but he used it as a swing to throw himself to another, thicker branch. With the new feat finished he was officially sitting higher than Axel. The redhead reached up and grabbed an unripe olive from the twig above him and threw it at the brunette, pelting him in the leg. "What was that for?" he asked with a confused face.

"No reason. Just felt like it." Below them, Zexion moved across the yard quietly and sat on a swing. He rocked himself back and fourth gently and read his book. Sora grinned and took and olive and dropped it on the man and he looked up.

"Was that necessary?" he asked and picked the olive out of his book and tossed it aside.

"Nope," Sora said.

"Am I not allowed to sit here?"

"You can, but I can't guarantee your safety." Zexion sighed but didn't move. Sora kicked his dangling feet a little and Axel closed his eyes to listen to the wind. "When are Roxas and everyone coming home?" the brunette asked after a moment of peace. Axel shrugged. Zexion looked at his watch.

"I can't imagine they'd be gone much longer, it's almost three," the slate-haired man said and resumed his reading. Sora was quickly becoming bored with just sitting around and enjoying the weather. He pulled himself over a few branches so he sat on the thickest one directly above Axel and grinned down at the redhead. Axel immediately felt suspicious. Sora reached under him and grabbed a thinner branch and gave it a good shake and a downpour of olives fell on the taller boy.

"Gah! What the hell?" Axel exclaimed as he covered his head with his hands. Zexion calmly lifted his book over his head as a few stray fruits rained down on him.

"I just wanted to see if that would work," Sora said and smiled.

"Well it did," Axel huffed and picked a leaf out of his hair. The door to the backyard opened and closed and Xigbar appeared, lighting a cigarette. He and Zexion greeted each other.

"Where are the kids?" the older man asked. Zexion pointed upwards.

"Hi Xiggy!" Sora exclaimed and waved. Axel doubted the man could see through the thick brush.

"What the hell?" Xigbar said and walked over to the tree and looked up. "What are you guys doing?"

"Climbing," Axel said simply. Roxas exited the house and joined Xigbar, looking up.

"Good lord. How did you two get up so high?" Roxas asked.

"Rockets!" Sora said and giggled. "How do you _think_ we got up here?"

"Well Axel is tall enough to reach, I'm more curious about you, Sora."

"Hey! I'm not _that_ short," Sora squeaked and Axel snickered.

"Yes you are," Roxas said and crossed his arms.

"You're no taller than I am!"

"And am I in the tree?"

"You could be if you weren't so gimpy," the brunette teased and kicked his feet. Roxas scowled. Xigbar chuckled a little and went to sit at the table.

"Now that was a low blow, Sora," Axel chimed. "Did you want to come up here, Roxas?"

"Not particularly," the blonde said and took a seat on the available swing. "We have a fir tree. Xigbar might like some help getting it inside."

"Right-o!" Sora said and started his way down the branches. Axel waited until the brunette was a reasonable distance away before swinging down after him. Sora was more careful and got as low as he could before dropping out but Axel decided to drop a good eight feet with a loud '_whud_' when he hit the ground. They both followed Xigbar around the house an untied the tree from the roof of the car and hefted it inside. Olette was coming up the stairs from the cellar with a box in her arms. She pulled out the stand and set it aside and the tree stood upright, littering the floor with pine needles.

"There are more boxes downstairs," Olette said. Axel and Sora headed downstairs and shuffled through the boxes and found several labeled 'Christmas' and brought them up. Roxas came inside and started to sort through the items in said boxes and Zexion waited off to the side to be useful. After about an hour of hanging, primping, and fine detailing the group had a nice looking Christmas tree in the middle of the living room. Olette went off to make dinner and Xigbar and Zexion went back outside. The sun was setting and the night was looking to be a cool one.

***

"You seem to be feeling better," Roxas said to the redhead as they cleaned up the boxes and began taking them back downstairs.

"I'm feeling pretty good today, actually."

"Sora seems to be a little happier too."

"Yeah he does," Axel wiped the dust off his hands once the last box was set aside. Roxas went towards the back of the cellar to a smaller door and dug in his pocket for a set of keys. He selected one and unlocked the padlock from the door and went inside. Axel followed him out of curiosity. "What did you need from in here?"

"I thought we could open a bottle of wine to share. Since everyone is feeling so good today."

"Oh." Axel shivered a little as the cooler air of the wine cellar washed over him. It wasn't a very big room and Axel had to duck to keep his hair out of the rafters. Roxas clicked a series of lights on and walked around the wooden wine racks; browsing.

"What kind of wine do you like?"

"I'm not very versed on the subject so I have no idea."

"Ooo Garnacha," Roxas said, pulling a bottle off the rack. He blew some of the dust off and ran his thumb over the label. "It's very sweet, technically a desert wine but whatever. Would you like to try?"

"Sure?"

"You don't sound very keen on the idea."

"Just a little concerned about what Sora will be like with alcohol in him."

"We don't have to have anything if you don't want to. I just thought it'd be nice."

"We can, I'm just a little apprehensive." What the redhead wouldn't tell Roxas is that his mind was drifting towards the photo albums he had found earlier. He was extremely curious to ask about the story behind the little one in particular but he didn't want to take a chance in ruining Roxas' good mood. The blonde nodded and took the bottle with him as he headed towards the door. Axel was trying to hide his contemplating face but Roxas caught on.

"Something on your mind?"

"Nothing important."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Roxas wasn't buying it.

"Tell me."

"Don't worry about it, it's not important," Axel made his way towards the door but Roxas caught his arm and pulled him back. The blonde looked up at him with serious eyes.

"Tell me," he repeated. Axel sighed and took the blonde's hand and pulled him out of the wine cellar and towards the crawl space through the main cellar. He hefted himself in the small cavity and looked around for the box of albums. He retrieved the small book from inside and handed it out to Roxas whose face went blank. "Oh. How did you find this?"

"I was looking for the wrapping paper."

"Well what about it?" The blonde didn't seem very thrilled that the redhead had unearthed the tiny book and he stared intently at the cover. He set the bottle of wine aside.

"I want to know about it. Especially the pictures with Xemnas in them. You never mentioned spending so much time with him."

"Because I don't like to think about it."

"Which is why I was hesitant to ask you about it. So let's put it back and we can talk another time."

"What's taking you guys so long?" Sora called as he came down the stairs. He met up with the pair and looked at the book. "Oh man! I remember this!" he exclaimed and snatched it from the blonde who didn't make an effort to stop him. Roxas sighed and took the bottle of wine upstairs. Axel followed after him and Sora followed after the redhead. The trio sat together in the living room on the floor around the coffee table. Sora set the book on the surface and flipped to the beginning. Olette came in and took the bottle of wine back into the kitchen with a thoughtful face as she went. "I can't believe your mom kept this book, Roxxy. This is awesome," Sora said.

"I can't believe she did either," Roxas admitted. He didn't look upset but he also didn't look very pleased. Sora flipped a page and smiled pointing to a picture for Axel to see. It was one of the series of pictures of Riku doing handstands.

"I remember almost breaking my tailbone trying to imitate Riku. I flipped forward and fell so hard on my ass I though I was dying," he turned a page. "Oh god, Roxas look at your mom. I remember that bikini; she wore it for almost the entire summer."

"Because Xemnas liked her in it."

"Yeah he did," he flipped another page and stopped on the picture of all three boys wrestling together with the man. "He was always so strong, you know? Do you remember when we would hang on his arms and he could just pick us up just by lifting them straight out? I could never do that, I had to carry my damn cat around with two arms for the longest time," Sora huffed. Olette came back in with a tray of various kinds of fruit preserves and crackers as well as three glasses of wine. She set it on the table and smiled before she left.

"I liked your cat," Roxas said and took a glass. "It had a really stupid name though."

"Yeah well, when you're three, you're not very creative. It looked like a rock when it was curled up so yeah, I named it 'Rock.'" Sora took a glass and sipped it. "Oo, I like this. Is it Garnacha?"

"It is."

"I win, two points for me," the brunette quipped with a smile. He took a cracker and some peach preserves and stuffed it in his mouth. Axel took his glass and took a taste. It tasted like wine to him. He couldn't tell the difference. Sora turned another page and munched happily. "Your sister really liked Xemnas."

"Because he treated her like a damn princess."

"Yeah he did. I wonder why he never treated his other daughters like that."

"Namine wasn't technically his daughter so he probably felt it was okay to spoil her. If he had married my mother though she probably would've fallen to the wayside and he would've treated me like he treated Riku."

"His 'son complex' always freaked me out." Sora flipped a few more pages and stopped on one of him and Roxas with a fond smile. They were sitting together in a large inflatable pool. "God we looked so much like twins."

"I know. We still do."

"Not as much though. I mean look at this," Sora held up the book for Axel to see. The brunette took his hands and covered up each boy's hair in the picture. "If you couldn't see our hair color, would you really be able to tell us apart?" Axel squinted at the picture.

"No. I really can't," Axel said. The redhead sipped his wine and took a cracker and some preserves to nibble on. He watched Roxas' expression carefully. The blonde sat quietly with his glass; he hadn't bothered to take a taste yet and that troubled Axel. He looked lost in his thoughts which was also a concern. Axel shifted around and poked the blonde with his foot. Roxas looked to him with a raised brow and Axel raised one in question right back. The blonde shrugged and shook his head a little. Sora hadn't noticed their exchange and continued through the pages.

"Xemnas liked you best," Sora said. Roxas looked at him.

"I don't think so. He liked Riku the best."

"Well yeah but of the two of us, he liked you more."

"He sure had a funny way of showing it."

"Why do you say that?" Sora asked with a tilt of his head. He rummaged around for another cracker.

"You weren't always around, and when you weren't he wasn't always so nice to me."

"Did he hit you?"

Roxas shrugged, "I'd really rather not get into it."

"Roxxy… seriously, what did he do?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Roxas." Axel said and stared at him with concern. The blonde sighed.

"I _don't_ want to talk about it. I forgot it happened a long time ago and I see no point in dredging it all up now."

"Did he touch you?" Sora asked with a serious face. It was comforting to Axel to see that the brunette was capable of the look.

"Sora stop. Just drop it."

"He did, didn't he?" Sora set his glass on the table gently before slamming his hands down on the surface and pushing himself into Roxas' face. The blonde flinched and backed away. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I wanted it to disappear, now drop it!" Roxas yelled. Sora sat back abruptly and furrowed his brows. Axel swallowed hard. He didn't dare say anything, but he was quickly becoming angrier and angrier as the seconds passed.

"Why the fuck do you care about these people?" he asked Sora before he could stop himself.

"What do you mean?"

"You knew what Riku did with Roxas and you apparently didn't know about Xemnas and yet I can bet you still feel some immense attachment to them. Why?"

"Because they're my family. They _were_ my family," Sora said defiantly. "Where the hell do you get off judging me like that? I had little choice in what I could do when my parents were killed. I was fucking eight! What do you do when you're eight? You sit around and cry and hang on to the first pair of non threatening hands that shows up and that's what I fucking did. Xemnas never touched me. And I didn't know about what he was like when I wasn't around so just back the fuck off, Axel. You don't know _shit_. So stop making it sound like I'm part of the problem because I'm not." Sora slammed his hands on the table again and stood. He stomped away and up the stairs. Axel blinked.

"I haven't seen Sora get mad in years," Roxas said with wide eyes. "But he has a point." The blonde sat his untouched glass on the table and folded his arms.

"I still don't understand."

"And you wouldn't, because you weren't there. Sora has abandonment issues. I told you before that he clings to whatever stability he can find and he usually makes a very deep connection with whoever it is. Having this whole thing with Xemnas come to light is starting to break down his pillar and he's not going to deal with it well. Plus now with Riku gone, he really has no one left to cling to."

"What did Xemnas do to you?" the redhead asked with hard eyes. He set his glass on the table.

"Not very much. It wasn't full on abuse or anything, only touching, and even then it was only a couple times. I've dealt with it and I'm over it but I really didn't want to talk about it because I was afraid this was going to happen."

Axel sighed. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize to me; I'm not the one you hurt."

***

Sora's bedroom, or rather, the room with the bed in it that he never slept in was mostly filled with boxes of his possessions from across the street. Axel leaned in the door way with his arms crossed and watched the brunette pace back and fourth. Sora looked worried or contemplative, the redhead couldn't tell which one.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Axel said after a moment of watching.

"I don't believe you," Sora said in retort.

"Fine," he turned to leave and the brunette called out to him.

"Wait! Okay, I forgive you," he said quickly. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just having a hard time processing it all. Xemnas was always so nice to me and treated me like his own son for the most part. I can't imagine him being a pedophile. So yeah, sorry."

"Whatever," Axel said and waved a hand. "I still don't understand but I guess I never will so I'll leave it alone." The redhead felt the tension ease a little from his shoulders with that last statement. He was trying to move on from Sora's weird relationship with Xemnas and Riku so he could worry about other things. He was tired of dealing with everyone else's problems and barely focusing on his own. He still hadn't spread his mother's ashes anywhere.

"Do you hate me? Like legitimately hate me?" Sora asked, catching Axel off guard. The redhead had to take a moment to think about it.

"No. I don't. I dislike you still, but I can't say I hate you anymore."

"We've progressed so far in only a couple days, don't you think?" Sora said with a smile. Axel wondered if the smaller boy had an on and off switch hidden on him somewhere with how frequently he switched moods.

"I suppose?"

"Well if it would make things easier for you, I can dye my hair blonde so I look like Roxas," he said with a grin.

"Creepy," was all Axel could think to say and Sora giggled. Axel left the door way and continued down the hall into his own bedroom. He shut the door before Sora could come in and the brunette whined outside the door like a dejected puppy. Roxas raised an eyebrow at him from the bed and Axel shrugged. He clicked the lock.

"Everything okay?" the blonde asked.

"Yeah, we're fine."

"Good," Roxas smiled a little. Axel crossed the room and bent to wrap his arms around Roxas' waist and push him back so he could lie on the blonde's stomach. Roxas grunted with the push but obliged the redhead and once they were settled, began to comb his fingers though his hair. "I can't believe this color is natural."

"Mhm," Axel said and closed his eyes. Sora knocked on the door.

"Come on you guys, open up!" he called. When they didn't answer him he huffed angrily at the door. "Fine, I'm going to get my lock picks." Axel raised an eyebrow and looked up at Roxas who had an equally as confused face. Several minutes later there was a light clicking and the doorknob jiggled.

"Holy shit he actually has lock picks," Axel said. "Quick, lets mess with him, take off your shirt," the redhead said with a smile and sat back to pull off his own. Roxas grinned and did as he was told. Axel moved them both under the blankets and lay on top of the blonde again and covered them both. The doorknob moved a little more and the door came open.

"Ha! I win again," Sora said happily and put his pick away. He put the set aside and crossed the room. Axel had his face buried in the crook of Roxas' neck and the blonde sighed happily at him. "That's not cool, guys. I just got dumped."

"You're the one who barged in, the door _was_ locked," Roxas said and let out a light gasp when Axel bit him gently.

"Yeah well, I want in." Axel pulled away from Roxas' neck and glared at Sora.

"No."

"You're so mean."

"No, I'm not."

"Yeah huh."

"No."

"Yeah."

"No."

"Are too."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Are not."

"He really isn't," Roxas interjected and Sora pouted.

"No fair, it's two against one."

"Them's the breaks," Axel said and laid his head on Roxas' chest.

"Please? Just a _little_ cuddle?"

"No."

"Just a bit?"

"No."

"Three minutes?"

"No."

"¿Un pequeño?"

"No. What the fuck, Spanish? Really?"

"Yeah!" the brunette smiled. Then he let out a gasp, "Roxxy did you know that Axel didn't get me a Christmas present? That's mean, isn't it?"

"Axel, how could you?" Roxas said with dramatic sarcasm.

"Christmas presents are a privilege. He hasn't earned his privileges from me yet," the redhead grumbled and wove his arms under the blonde in a tight hug.

"I can agree with that," the blonde said.

"But it's_ mean_," Sora whined.

"Well what do you want for Christmas?" Roxas asked.

"Cuddles," Sora said simply. "Can I have my present early?"

"No," Axel huffed.

"Why not?" Roxas asked and Axel looked up at him with a glower.

"I'm not going to cuddle with him."

"Why?" Roxas asked again.

"Yeah Axel, why?" Sora added.

"Because I don't like you enough," the redhead spat at the brunette. Roxas whacked him on the back of the head.

"What the hell was that for?" Axel asked and rubbed his head.

"For being mean," Roxas said. Sora nodded.

"I'm not being mean!"

"Yes you are!" the two smaller boys said in sync.

"Fine. You know what? Fuck you both. I'm bunking with Olette," Axel huffed and pushed up from Roxas. He moved to the side of the bed and stood, grabbing his shirt and pulling it over his head.

"Axel, we were kidding. Come back," Roxas said.

"You said you didn't hate me so what's the problem?" Sora added.

"Just because I don't hate you doesn't mean I like you," Axel said and crossed his arms. Sora shrugged and climbed in the bed with Roxas. He kicked off his shoes and began to pull off his shirt to mimic the position Axel and Roxas were in just moments before. The blonde raised a brow but let Sora lay on him and wrap his arms under his torso just like Axel had done. Sora nuzzled the blonde's stomach and Roxas combed his fingers through his chestnut hair. Axel's eyebrow twitched angrily.

"This is so comfortable, now I get why you do this," Sora said with a pleased smile. He closed his eyes. Axel walked around to the other side of the bed and hooked his fingers in the brunette's pants and pulled him up and away from the blonde. Sora was lifted completely off the bed and dropped to the floor with an '_oomphf_.' Axel folded his arms again and glared at the blonde who was notably stunned.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?"

"Cuddling?" Roxas asked.

"Like hell you were, that was too cozy."

"You and I do that all the time."

"Yeah and we also have sex, are you going to screw Sora now too?"

"Ooo, I could use a good lay," Sora chimed from the floor. He pushed himself to sit up and looked over the edge of the bed. "C'mon Roxxy lets have a go at it." Axel gaped at the brunette and then looked at the blonde who shrugged.

"Sure, hop in," Roxas said with a curt smile and Axel's mouth dropped to the floor. Sora let out a giddy squeal and leapt into the bed and started to undo his pants.

"Oh no you don't!" Axel exclaimed and grabbed Sora's arm and hauled him off the bed again. He turned to the blonde. "What the fuck, Roxas?" Axel was totally serious with his anger but Roxas was starting to laugh which made him even more frustrated.

"Do you really think I'm that easy Axel?"

"Aw, you're not?" Sora piped.

"No, I'm not," Roxas said with a light glare. "Don't be so quick to anger," he said to the redhead. Axel sighed.

"Sorry."

"I only teased you because you took everything so seriously. You once told me to lighten up and now I'm asking you to do the same. Is it really asking too much to cuddle with Sora a little?"

"Now I want to make sweet sweet nookie," Sora said with a light blush. He held his face in between his hands and giggled.

"_That's_ why I have a problem with it," Axel said. "It's going to escalate if I give in."

"Like I said, I can dye my hair blonde to look like Roxas if it'll make it easier."

"Sora, you're not helping your case," Roxas warned.

"But I'm sure Axel wouldn't mind having a threesome."

"I _do_ mind, thank you," the redhead grumped.

"Psh, you're not a guy if you haven't thought ever of having a threesome," Sora said and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Seriously Axel, even_ I've_ thought about it," Roxas said.

"I…" Axel started and sighed. He rubbed his face with his hands. "You know what? You're right, let's just skip all the bullshit in the middle and get right into the meat and potatoes of all this. Bend over Sora." Axel pulled his shirt off quickly and tossed it aside. The brunette watched him with surprised eyes.

"You're serious?" Sora asked and looked to Roxas who was as equally as surprised.

"Sure! Why not, I don't hate you remember?"

"Yeah but, now I'm a little scared."

"Good, I like it," the redhead leaned over and stuck his face in Sora's and the brunettes eyes flew wide. "It gets me_ hard_ to think of you trembling in fear beneath me. Would you like that? You want me to rail you while you choke on your own fear?" Sora shrunk back a little. Roxas pushed himself up and grabbed Axel's arm.

"Stop it. You've made your point."

"Oh no, he's opened the flood gates now. I'm ready to go," Axel claimed and put a hand on Sora's chest. The brunette flinched a little and was looking back and fourth with frantic eyes.

"Axel! You're scaring him, stop it," Roxas said. Sora looked up into Axel's eyes and tried to find a shred of sarcasm in them but he kept his face serious. The blonde wedged and arm between them. "I'm not going to let you do this."

"Why? It was his idea, you seemed on board too."

"I didn't think you'd be serious about it."

"So now you _don't_ want to have a threesome?" The redhead stood straight again and looked down at the pair with an angry scowl.

"I do," Sora said and Roxas gaped at him. Axel raised a brow. Someone must have flipped Sora's emotion switch again because the brunette giggled and pecked Roxas on the cheek. The blonde blinked confusedly.

"I don't know what to say," he said and sat back. He rubbed his cheek where Sora had kissed him. He looked up at Axel who was stone faced. "Axel?"

"Hm?"

"Should we?"

"No."

"Aw! You guys are awful teases! Forget you two, I'm gonna go jerk off," Sora huffed and gathered his shirt. He gave them one last pout before leaving. Axel walked after him and closed the door and clicked the lock again. He picked up Sora's lock pick set and set it on the nightstand.

"Satisfied?" Axel asked and crossed his arms.

"That was about six kinds of awkward," Roxas said and ran his hand through his hair.

"Yeah it was."

"Are you angry with me?"

"A little."

"I'm sorry."

"I forgive you. Did you _really_ want to have a threesome?"

"I don't think I'm ready for that yet."

"I don't think you are either. Plus, I still _really_ don't like Sora."

"Okay, I won't pressure you anymore."

"Thank you."

"I will say that you scared me a little."

"I can be scary when I want to be," Axel said and clicked off the lamp. He shuffled out of his pants and climbed into the bed with Roxas. The blonde followed suit and settled in.

"In the same breath I can also say that it was kind of hot," the blonde said with a light blush.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"You know _just_ how to make a girl feel loved, you know that?"

"Don't push it."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Axel's stomach gurgled unhappily against his methadone. He should've eaten something before he and Olette left that morning but he wasn't in any mood to take care of himself. He rubbed his abdomen idly and pushed open the door to the jewelers. Yuffie was standing behind the counter chatting with a man who looked like he was about to crumble apart with age. She waved lightly at the redhead, and he waved back. She continued to yammer mindlessly in Korean to the man for another minute before he threw up his hand at her and headed into the back.

"I was wondering when you were going to show," Yuffie said happily. Olette came in and she waved at the girl. The happy Asian girl moved to the back corner of the shop and moved a few boxes around before producing a small box and handed it to Axel. "I'd say it's pretty perfect but I'm a biased party," she quipped with a grin.

"C'mere Olette," Axel asked and she hurried to his side. He opened the box and looked the ring over thoroughly before taking Olette's hand and slipped the ring on her finger. She smiled.

"I think it will fit him," she said and gave it a wiggle. She nodded. "It is sort of weird to use a woman's finger for a men's size though, yes?"

"He's tiny, Olette. You're the closest one I have," the redhead said with a brief smile.

"What about Sora?"

"What _about_ Sora?" he narrowed his eyes at her and she giggled.

"Oh nothing, I just like to tease you. It is so easy."

"Yeah, I know it is," Axel said and slid the ring off her finger and stuffed it in the box. He had already paid for the ring up front so he really had no further business there. "Do you do gift wrapping?" he asked Yuffie and she nodded before rummaging around for a roll of red paper. She wrapped it nicely for him and he smiled. "Thanks, we're okay? You don't need anything else from me?"

"A hug maybe?" she said with a wide smile. Axel smiled back and met the girl in a gap between the glass display cases and gave her a firm hug. "Thanks again."

"Merry Christmas, Axel."

"Merry Christmas, Yuffie."

***

"What do you mean you don't like egg nog?" Sora huffed. Olette was busy preparing a home made concoction of the drink while everyone sat around together. It was Christmas Eve and the fireplace crackled with a live fire even though it was nearly sixty degrees outside. Axel loved the smell and sounds of a good fire and he sat on the floor in front of it, watching Roxas and Sora.

"I'm just not a fan, is it really that horrible of a crime?" Roxas said with a raised brow.

"Of course it is! Nog is great."

"I have to agree, egg nog is pretty great," Zexion said and lingered around Olette, watching her work. She smiled with a light blush at his proximity.

"I hate the stuff, it's awful for your heart," Xigbar added.

"You only say that because you're old," Sora said with his tongue sticking out. Xigbar shrugged.

"I can't argue with that logic," he said. Roxas jumped a little in surprise and dug in his pocket for his Blackberry.

"Excuse me," he said and left the group to head upstairs. Sora watched him go then turned his attention on Axel.

"Do you like egg nog?"

"I like the home made stuff, not that sludge in the carton. My mom used to make pretty good nog," he said with a shrug.

"I see," Sora jumped off his stool and went to sit in front of the fire with Axel. In response the redhead moved a few inches away when he got too close. "Don't be so flinchy, can't you be nice to me for_ one_ day? It's Christmas."

"I am being nice."

"No you're not. You moved away from me like I have leprosy or something."

"You mean you don't?" Axel said with a smug grin. Sora rolled his eyes and settled back. Zexion started to talk to Olette in Greek and the girl giggled. Sora chimed in with something and the slate-haired man turned around like he had just heard a ghost. The brunette giggled contentedly with himself and wiggled his toes. Zexion raised a brow at the boy and returned to talking to Olette. Xigbar excused himself to go outside and smoke. Roxas walked back in shortly after.

"Where'd you run off to so quick?" Sora asked the blonde.

"I just got off the phone with someone from Turkey's General Directorate of Security, I had sent them a bunch of information on Riku and they just needed some confirmations."

"Oh…" Sora said and looked at his feet. "You think they'll find him?"

"I hope so."

"M'kay," the brunette sighed. Axel moved back a little towards the fire and lifted up the back of his shirt to take in as much heat as he could. Sora quirked a brow at him, "what are you doing?"

"I like warm," the redhead said and closed his eyes to concentrate on the heat.

"I'm warm," Sora said and batted giant puppy-dog eyes at him.

"Good for you."

"You should have seen that one coming," Roxas said. Sora huffed and stuck out his lower lip in an exaggerated pout. The blonde went to sit in front of Axel; the redhead instinctively dropped his shirt and pulled Roxas into his lap.

"What the hell, is it that easy?" Sora asked with a scowl.

"For me, yes. This is nothing new," Roxas said.

"I know but it still bugs me."

"I'm sorry. Here…" Roxas shifted so his legs hung out in front of him, "you can sit on_ my_ lap."

"If you break my ankles, I swear I will punch you both," Axel said and laid his head against Roxas' back. Sora smiled a little and moved to sit between the blonde's legs and leaned against him. Axel was happy he didn't actually put any more weight on his folded legs. Roxas rested his head in Sora's chestnut hair and smiled.

"This is nice," Roxas said with a satisfied voice.

"I _guess_. I would've preferred if Axel would hold us _both_," Sora said and twiddled his thumbs.

"Quit complaining, you're lucky I let you near me," Axel said and jabbed the brunette in the shoulder. Roxas sighed.

"Well it _was_ nice. Can't you two just get along for my sake? That can be my Christmas present this year."

"It's Axel's fault," Sora blamed.

"I have to agree with him a little Axel," Roxas added.

"Yeah yeah, I know I'm a grumpy old man. Whatever," the redhead sighed and hugged Roxas closer. He considered the proposition of being nicer to Sora. He didn't get the little booger a physical present for Christmas so maybe he could oblige him a little more in his hyper antics instead. He had nothing to lose, really. Plus, he could probably do more to make Roxas happy; he figured he had been taking a lot and not giving back much back in terms of their relationship and he felt a little guilty because of it. If he couldn't give Roxas the benefit of the doubt by making his _only_ friend one of his own, then what could he give? He sighed again and gave Roxas a kiss on the back of his neck. "Okay."

"Okay what?" Roxas asked and looked over his shoulder at him. Axel realized he was having an internal monologue and his 'okay' just sort of flew out of nowhere.

"Switch places with Sora."

"Really? What changed all of a sudden?"

"Who cares?" Sora asked with a wide grin. He shooed Roxas out of the way and plopped himself in the blonde's place. Axel didn't hug him like he had the other and instead he leaned back on his hands and let the brunette lean against him. Sora was heavier than Roxas, more solid. Roxas gave Axel a small smile and walked across the room to a small book case and pulled out a book. He returned to the pair and lay on the floor and used Sora's thigh like a pillow. The brunette leaned against the redhead and folded his hands in his lap neatly and closed his eyes, letting out a contented sigh. Xigbar came back in and raised a brow at the trio.

"Well that's just damn cute," he said. Olette turned from where she was in the kitchen and squealed in agreement. Zexion didn't look to have an opinion either way.

"I know I am!" Sora chirped with a smile. Xigbar chuckled and picked up a newspaper and opened it to look at the pictures. He reclined himself along the couch. Sora sat up and started to move himself side to side in Axel's lap doing a little dance, "I win, I win, oh yeah, I win," he said in sing-song.

"What did you win?" Roxas asked.

"I got Axel to let me sit on him. Therefore, I win. It's not as much cuddling as I would like, but I'm good for now," the brunette said and continued his celebration. Axel rolled his eyes.

"How much is enough?" Axel said before he could stop himself. He cursed himself for asking. He was curious, but his brain to mouth filter decided it needed to be said without permission from the rest of him. Sora turned on him with joyful glittering eyes and an enormous gaping smile and the redhead knew he had just dug his grave a little deeper.

"You mean it!? You'll let me have more?" he squeaked.

"Oh man, Axel you're in for it now," Xigbar said.

"Hey! I don't want to hear anything from the peanut gallery," Axel barked with a glare. Xigbar laughed at him, Roxas with snickering a little too and holding his book over his mouth to hide his grin.

"Are you really going to give him what he wants?" the blonde asked. "Don't tease him now."

"Yeah! Are you?" Sora asked eagerly and bounced a little.

"If it is what I think it is, then no. But I will… hug you I guess," the redhead spat. Sora smiled and clamped onto Axel's chest, Roxas sat up from having his pillow suddenly disappear. The blonde blinked curiously and Axel leaned forward and draped an arm over the brunette lazily in a half-assed hug.

"You give shitty hugs, dude," Sora said. "How is this in any way satisfying?" he asked Roxas. The blonde smiled.

"He's usually better at it, but he seems to be having a problem."

"I'm sitting right here, you know," Axel said in an annoyed tone.

"Well good then I don't need to repeat myself," Roxas said while folding his arms. Axel signed and shoved Sora away some so he could sit up properly. He held his arms open and the brunette giggled before tucking himself under Axel's chin. The redhead wrapped his arms around him tightly. Axel figured that if he were in the dark, and he grabbed onto one randomly and hugged them, he wouldn't be able to tell much of a difference between either boy in terms of size so in order to keep his skin from crawling away, he closed his eyes and held Sora for as long as he felt comfortable. The brunette wouldn't let him have his moment of solace for very long though, because then he began to speak.

"This is _way_ better," he said with a wide smile. Sora nuzzled under Axel's jaw a little and the redhead noted in the other differences he felt. The chestnut hair he had against his skin wasn't at all like Roxas' blonde fluff. It was more wiry feeling, almost like it should have been curly but instead chose to stick up everywhere. He wasn't sure he was okay with that. He liked Roxas' hair.

"Okay Sora, that's enough," Roxas said. "Give me my spot back."

"Aw! No way!"

"I'm serious."

"That's so not nice," Sora huffed and moved out of Axel's arms. The blonde replaced himself in Axel's lap and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Sora watched with a pout and went to sit with Xigbar on the couch. The older man muttered something to the boy and handed him the newspaper. Sora looked at it carefully before telling Xigbar what it meant. Axel felt better holding Roxas again. The smaller boy pressed their cheeks together and whispered in the redhead's ear.

"You looked so miserable; I just had to save you."

"Thanks," Axel whispered back.

"Thank you for humoring me."

"You're welcome. Please don't ask me to do it very often."

"I won't." They both sat back normally so they weren't speaking to just each other anymore. They sat together in comfortable silence for a while, listening to Sora translate the newspaper for Xigbar and the idle conversation that Zexion and Olette shared in the kitchen. Axel's mind started to wander and he remembered that the blonde still owed him a favor. He pondered the various things he could ask the blonde to do for him, and he tossed much of them out of the mental window since he figured Roxas would do them for him if he asked anyway and it would be a waste of a favor. The blonde turned another page in his book and Axel looked down to see what he was reading. Immediately his eyes crossed because the text was in French.

_Fucking foreign countries and their weird languages_, Axel swore to himself. He wondered what Roxas would've been like if he had ever gone to public school. Would he have been as much of a culture nerd? Would he have been as polite? Doubtful, but it was still an interesting concept. Then he realized what he could ask the blonde to do. "Hey Roxas?"

"Hmm?"

"I know what you can do for me, to pay me back."

"What's that?"

"I want you to do something wild and out of character. Think of something you'd be willing to do and just do it. I want to see."

"I have no idea what that would even entail," Roxas said with a raised brow, he folded a corner of the page he was on and closed the book. "Give me an idea of what you mean?"

"Well my thought process behind it was, 'what would Roxas have been like if he had gone to public school. How would he be different?'"

"You're asking me to do something 'normal?'"

"I dunno about 'normal' but I want you to do something very un-Roxas like."

"Hmm," Roxas hummed with a thoughtful face.

"Let's go get sex changes Roxxy!" Sora piped from the couch, and Xigbar laughed.

"Olette?" Roxas asked, ignoring Sora's absurd request.

"Yes?" she called over her shoulder from the kitchen.

"Will you drive me somewhere?"

"In a little bit, sure."

"You think of something already?" Axel asked and the blonde nodded with a small smile.

"I think you'll be surprised."

"What places are open on Chirstmas Eve?"

"I think I can find one. Don't you worry."

***

"Oh man, I'm so curious," Sora said as he paced with a mug of warm egg nog. "I wonder if Roxas really is going to get a sex change. Hospitals are open on holidays."

"I highly doubt that," Axel said and took a sip from his own mug.

"What would you do if he suddenly came home as a girl?"

"Wonder how long it would take his new vagina to heal so we could test it out."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Girls are gross."

"Girls are just different, is all."

"I take it your previous girlfriends were all fantastically hot and great in bed?"

"I've only had three, and they were all reasonably cute, but only one was fantastic in bed," the redhead said nonchalantly and took another sip.

"Ew. Vaginas scare me. They look like chewed up cat food," Sora said with his tongue stuck out. Axel laughed.

"That's really disgusting; I don't think they look like cat food exactly."

"What _do _you think they look like?"

"Why are we talking about this?" he asked with a tired face. Sora shrugged.

"Because it's something to talk about. Answer me."

"Well there are many kinds of vaginas, Sora. Every girl I've been with had something totally different than the previous so there isn't much of a stable sample range for me to go on. I have no idea how to describe them and frankly, it's not something I really want to be discussing with you."

"Okay fine." The brunette started pacing again impatiently. "God what is taking him so long?"

"He's only been gone for a couple hours, calm down."

"But I want to know! This is killing me," he whined. He set his empty mug on the coffee table and threw himself on the couch. Axel set his own mug down and went to add another log on the fire. The front door opened and closed and Olette was heard talking excitedly. Sora leapt from the couch and ran around the corner. "Ohmygodwhatdidyoudoshowme!" he squealed. Axel poked the fire some with the cast iron prod before walking casually to the front. Roxas didn't look any different from when he left.

"He isn't allowed to say anything for the next little bit," Olette said with a smile. "I am sworn to secrecy as well."

"What, did you go to a monastery and become a monk?" Sora asked. Roxas shrugged so he didn't have a clear answer which made the brunette fidget anxiously. Axel squinted at the blonde and racked his mind trying to figure out what was different. He didn't have any signs of body modification, nor did he have some weird piece of clothing on. Roxas smiled wide at his confusion.

"I can wait. You are going to tell us eventually though, right?" Axel asked and the blonde nodded.

"Well I can't!" Sora squeaked and grabbed onto Roxas' shoulders and shook him a little. "Tell me!" Roxas put a hand on Sora's chest to stop him and backed away. "Roxxy!" the brunette whimpered causing Olette to giggle at his misfortune.

"It took us forever to find a place that was open, sorry we are so late," the girl said. "The place made him take an oath that he could not talk for at least a week. I am not supposed to say why."

"A week? That's… strange," Axel said. Maybe he _did_ become a monk. Don't proper monks live in the monastery though? Axel was confused.

"Roxxy! Speak to me!" Sora whined and sniffled, slamming the blonde to his chest and swinging him around in a strangling hug. Roxas had to stomp on his friend's foot to get him to let go. Sora yelped and grabbed onto his foot and hopped a little in place. Roxas stood and smoothed the wrinkles out of his blazer calmly. "Don't go turning into Axel on me, Roxxy. Don't get abusive," the brunette said quietly and Axel laughed.

"You only _think _I'm abusive."

"I am going to make dinner," Olette said and hung her coat in the entryway closet.

***

It was getting to be bedtime and Axel couldn't find Roxas. The blonde had left shortly after dinner and was somewhere in the house. The last place he hadn't checked was in the study and lo and behold the smaller boy there and perched in the leather seat with hip laptop on his thighs and glasses pushed on his face. He raised an eyebrow in question when Axel came in. The redhead sat across from him on the unused foot rest and looked him over again.

"You know, I'm contemplating just throwing you on the bed and strip searching you," Axel said calmly. Roxas' expression drooped a little at the proposition. "Will I find something?" The smaller boy thought about it before shaking his head. He closed his laptop and set both it and his glasses aside. He moved forward and sat on Axel's lap and dug around in the redhead's pocket for his Blackberry. He clicked around the interface and set an alarm for New Years day at 12:01am. He put the memo as '_Roxas tells Axel_' and gave it back to him. The redhead sighed and tucked it away. "We should probably get to bed soon. Sora will probably be up at like… the crack of dawn like a six year old and kick us out of bed." The blonde nodded.

***

Sora slept later than anyone else on Christmas morning but once he was up, he was completely awake and bouncing around gleefully. The brunette didn't have any money so no one was to receive presents from him so everyone got a rib shattering hug instead. Axel was thinking the boy has snorted something to make him so hyper, but he didn't. The redhead himself had already gone to the clinic and back with Olette and it was nearly noon by the time Christmas actually started for the house. Zexion had started cooking in the wee hours of the morning and the house smelled mouthwatering. Roxas seemed a little grumpy.

"Problems?" Axel asked when he noticed Roxas' mildly sour expression. The blonde shrugged and sipped his glass of milk. The redhead was concerned that the other boy had done something to himself that he regretted because he was incredibly reluctant to touch Axel the night before. He didn't get very many kisses before bed and cuddled with him versus doing anything further than that. He sort of felt guilty for asking Roxas to do something outside of his comfort zone. He gave the blonde a lingering kiss on the temple and he smiled a little before giving Axel a peck on the cheek.

Sora was far more excited to watch everyone open gifts than the group was to have them. If he had had ears and a tail like a dog, Axel could imagine seeing them up and wagging expectantly while the brunette sat next to Olette. The redhead had to admire his childish enthusiasm, if nothing else. Axel always felt jittery on Christmas when other people opened the gifts he gave them. He had this subconscious feeling that they would hate them and he would completely embarrass himself even if he knew better. He felt this way even with his own mother, and remembering that sensation sent a pang through his chest and caused a lump to form in his throat. The one he was most nervous about was Roxas' gift and weather or not the blonde would understand.

Xigbar laughed happily with his coffee and cigars. "What's this little one for?" he asked flicking the tiny gift bag hanging off of the side of the pound of not-totally-disgusting coffee.

"You'll just have to try it and see," Axel said with a smug smile. Xigbar gave him a suspicious look and set it aside to open his other gifts. Zexion opened his books and looked at Axel with a blushing face and nodded his thanks. Olette giggled and nudged him and he gave her a smile. The covers on the books were blank with only the title and the author so Axel felt a little better with the mental image of Zexion lounging and reading without the Fabio splattered all over them.

"C'est magnifique!" Olette squealed and rubbed her pointless music box against her cheek affectionately. She opened it and squealed again when the little Eiffel tower popped up and the tune plinked to life. Xigbar laughed at her. Axel thanked Kairi silently. The redhead and received an elongated rectangular box that he wasn't allowed to open in front of Roxas from Xigbar so he set it aside. Zexion got him a few books, and Olette got him a new house for his hermit crabs. How she found out that he had hermit crabs back home, was beyond him. Roxas handed him a little box. He opened it, expecting to find a piece of jewelry or something but he found a note in Roxas' dainty handwriting.

"_Your gift is at home."_

"More fucking mysteries. That's not cool," Axel huffed. But he smiled and gave Roxas a kiss anyway. The blonde leaned against him and held the redhead's gift in his hands for a moment and gave him a quirked brow. Axel's heartbeat sped up a little as he watched the blonde open it very carefully. Everyone else was distracted with their own things but Sora's eyes were boring a hole through the blonde's forehead with his eager gaze. Roxas opened the little box and gasped before immediately shutting it and looking at Axel with watery eyes. The redhead smiled sheepishly.

The blonde swallowed thickly and opened the box again to pull out the ring and tested it on his fingers before finding that it fit on his middle. He held it out in front of him. The gold ring was cut to look as close to Roxas' grandfather's ring as Axel could get it. Yuffie had used the company logo off of Axel's credit card to get it just right and then sized it to fit Roxas using Olette's hands. The blonde had never recovered the original ring (along with his car keys and cell phone) after they were taken from the casino so the redhead thought he was pretty clever for figuring it out. Apparently Roxas approved because he threw himself onto the redhead in a strong hug.

"I wanna see!" Sora said and galloped across the room to the pair. Roxas held his hand out and the brunette looked confused. "That's hardly an engagement ring." The blonde took his hand away and gave his friend a disparaging look and cuddled up to Axel happily.

"You wouldn't understand," Axel said and hugged Roxas to him. Sora pouted and the redhead felt extremely satisfied that he was the one that understood this time around versus being told he knew nothing. Olette sniffled and wiped her eyes at the two. Zexion smiled some and said his thanks before picking up his wrapping paper and heading back to the kitchen. Xigbar watched with a small smile.

"I'd understand if you would just tell me," Sora said and crossed his arms in a huff. Roxas shook his head. Axel didn't answer him either and eventually the brunette gave up and went to help Olette pick up the discarded wrapping paper.

"Wait, Sora. I forgot to give you your gift," Axel said and the brunette stopped and gave him an even more confused look than before. Axel sighed and stood, leaving Roxas to sit on the floor and watch. The redhead stood in front of the brunette for a moment before leaning down and planting a firm kiss on Sora's forehead. "Merry Christmas, Sora." The smaller boy blinked but didn't move. Axel left him to stand around looking stunned and picked up his wrapping paper and Roxas' and tossed it in the garbage bag that Olette was holding. Roxas sat on the floor grinning as Sora stood like a statue with flushed cheeks. Xigbar started to laugh.

"I hope he doesn't piss himself," the older man barked and took up his bag of coffee and headed into the kitchen. When everything was picked up, Axel and Roxas left the brunette in the living room to take their gifts upstairs.

***

Xigbar had given Axel a carton cigarettes and the redhead smiled to himself as he tucked them in his drawer next to the other unopened pack. Roxas wouldn't let the redhead join him in the shower and Axel was feeling fidgety. It was out of the norm for them to shower separately anymore and even though Roxas clearly loved his gift, Axel had to wait for his until they got home which made his fidgetiness even more substantial. He was regretting asking Roxas to do something out of character because now the blonde had effectively cut him off from most everything that Axel liked to do with him. Cuddling was nice and hugs were nice but the redhead was feeling very sexually stunted even though it had only been a day. He knew this would continue until New Years, and he wasn't happy about it. He hoped whatever Roxas had done, that it was worth making the redhead wait because he would make sure the blonde wouldn't be able to sit for a week after the New Year.

Nothing else had changed with the blonde other than the silence and the refusal of Axel's advances. He still ate like a robot with tiny rabbit bites and he still had to wear his glasses whenever he read. He wore the same clothes, and was walking the same as he always did and would still oblige Sora every now and again with his weird mannerisms. It was driving the redhead insane, even though he told the other boy he could wait. Nothing was different. Unbeknownst to the redhead, it was keeping Axel thoroughly distracted from his addictive mind which was part of the blonde's plan.

***

Sora didn't look Axel in the eyes for several hours after receiving the redhead's 'present.' But when he could find his voice again, it was fraught with questions and he began to pester Axel relentlessly. He followed behind Axel like a lost puppy and yapped incessantly about why Axel did what he did and what his feelings were. Axel had the urge to mess with the brunette and tell him he was having undying passionate feelings for the boy but he considered that to be very cruel so he didn't say much in that light.

"I bet you looooove me," Sora said with a giggle. He held his face between his hands like he usually did and blushed and swayed back and fourth with a dreamy expression. "Let's elope."

"No."

"But you totally kissed me."

"I did but then I went upstairs and railed Roxas until he screamed," Axel said and shoved a mouthful of sandwich in his face, which was a total lie because the blonde completely denied him everything but Sora didn't need to know that. "You're readning doo muth intho it."

"But… but…" the brunette started before sighing. "You're such a tease."

"Thorry," the redhead said with a shrug. He swallowed his food and took a drink of water. "I didn't think you'd have this reaction, otherwise I would have given you nothing," another lie. He knew this would happen and he was having a grand old sadistic time smacking the brunette around with uncertainty. Roxas rounded the corner and went to the refrigerator to find something light to eat to hold him over until Zexion's dinner. He settled for yogurt.

"Roxxy, Axel is denying his love for me," Sora said. The blonde raised a brow and stuffed a spoonful of pink glop into his mouth. Axel laughed.

"He thinks I love him, and I don't."

"You're in denial._ Everyone_ loves me. I'm just a loveable guy," the brunette said with a giggle.

"I think I'm fine, actually. You're the one in denial," Axel said and finished his sandwich.

"So what do you think Roxxy got you?" Sora asked, changing the subject abruptly.

"I have no idea. I just hope it wasn't something insanely expensive that I'd be afraid to touch."

"I bet he got you a house so I could live with you." Roxas gave Sora a disgruntled look. Axel laughed.

"You really didn't get me a condo or something ridiculous did you?" the redhead asked with complete seriousness. Roxas shook his head.

"He probably got you something weird and Roxas-like. Like a stock portfolio or a race horse."

"A… race horse?"

"Oh yeah! His family has had horses than race in the Kentucky Derby. Mine too, but we sold them like five years ago or something, I don't remember." Axel looked to the blonde for confirmation and Roxas rolled his eyes and shook his head, taking another spoonful of yogurt. The brunette saw their exchange and smiled. "There are probably a lot of things you don't know about that Roxas' family owns."

"Oh yeah? And why should I care about that?"

"I have no idea, _do_ you care?"

"Not really." Axel stood and took his dishes to the sink. He kissed Roxas' temple on his way past him and again on the opposite temple when he headed out of the room and towards the back door. Xigbar was sitting outside smoking a cigarette.

"Thanks for the carton," Axel said and Xigbar laughed a little.

"You think you'll need them?"

"I don't know I still haven't touched the pack you gave me earlier this week."

"Good, let's hope you don't. I have to admit the little bag of coffee you gave me has me scared. I'm not going to die if I drink it will I?"

"It'll put hair on your balls, let's just say," Axel said with a grin and Xigbar laughed.

"Make the follicles expand to the size of golf clubs?" the older man added and Axel laughed at the imagery. The redhead left him to his chuckling and went to heft himself into the tree.

"So what do you think Roxas did to himself?" Axel called back to Xigbar. There was a pause as the man thought about it.

"I have no idea, kid."

"He won't talk and I'm afraid he changed his vocal chords with Gilbert Gottfried's or something equally as terrible," the redhead grunted as he pulled himself over a branch.

"That's an interesting idea but I'm pretty sure that doesn't work."

"I know, but I'm still at a loss."

"Me too. He looked a little upset this morning, don't you think?"

"I noticed that too," Axel reclined back against the trunk after settling on a thick branch. "I hope he didn't hurt himself."

"I don't think he's that stupid," Xigbar stood and went to stand under the tree. "Roxas has always been the 'sick kid.' You know the type that misses a lot of school and you always wonder how they ever pass anything? Once he came home from the dormitories at the Academy, he's always been very careful with his body and what he does to it. He drinks very seldom and hates it when people smoke around him so if he _really_ did something to himself, I would be surprised. I think he's just playing with you, honestly."

"You think?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm…" Axel folded his hands over his stomach and watched the light wind blow the leaves around in front of him. He would be severely pissed off at the blonde if the whole thing was a charade. Xigbar didn't know the full extent to which Roxas was taking it and the redhead hoped it was just the older man jumping to conclusions. He took out his Blackberry and flipped to the calendar, staring intently on the memo Roxas had left for him. A little over six days was too long for Axel. He wanted to talk to Roxas and have him talk back. It had only been a day and already the redhead was feeling incredibly lonely.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The topic was becoming an obsession. It was three days after Christmas and Axel sat across from Roxas at the blonde's desk, staring at him, willing a hole to burst from his forehead and have the answer leak out for him. Roxas ignored him and went about his business, typing away quietly at his laptop. The blonde hadn't talked for four days at this point and it didn't seem to bother him but it was killing the redhead. Over the last few days Roxas was purposefully tempting Axel, or so the other boy had himself convinced. The blonde would drop something and let his shirt ride up when he picked it up, giving a glimpse of skin here or there and walking around in a towel when Axel was watching and not letting him touch. The list went on, but the redhead was becoming more and more frustrated the longer he thought about it.

He huffed angrily and left the smaller boy to his work and went back to his bedroom. He dug around in his dresser for Xigbar's cigarettes and his lighter before jogging downstairs. He bypassed everyone without a word and burst through the back door. Sora was sitting on a swing peacefully and jumped in surprise when Axel came through and hefted himself into the tree with abrupt force. The tree was slowly becoming Axel's haven when he wanted to get away, but was occasionally invaded by Sora and such was the case this time. He ripped apart the cellophane from the box and stuffed it in his pocket before lighting up.

"Ooo! Share!" Sora called up.

"Shut up," Axel barked at him and felt himself relax a little with a good inhale. He hadn't gone to the clinic for the last two days because he didn't feel the need but this pestering of Roxas' was taking a toll on him.

"Don't be bitch," Sora ordered. Axel flicked his ash at the boy in response. "I haven't gotten laid in a while either so I feel your pain," the brunette said and watched the ash float away harmlessly. "Hey! You know what we should do?"

"No. Forget it."

"You don't even know what I was going to suggest!"

"Yes I do. Don't even consider it. It's not happening."

"You know me so well," he giggled. "Seriously though, can I have one?"

"If it'll get you to leave me alone," Axel pulled an extra stick from the pack and flicked it down the tree to the boy. Sora flumbled after it but managed to catch it with minimal damage. Axel dropped his lighter down to the boy, Sora lit up and tossed it back.

"I didn't know you smoked," the brunette said after an exhale.

"I was trying to quit."

"Roxas?"

"Mhm."

"You're so whipped."

"Fuck off."

"Ooo touchy! I understand though, I want to know what he's hiding too."

"Xigbar says he's just messing with me."

"Possibly, though that'd be pretty awful of him. I don't think he's that cruel."

"It would certainly be out of character for him then," Axel said and reclined back, coughing a bit.

"True. Maybe he got gold crowns on his teeth or something. He'd be blingin' yo."

"That was terrible, never say that again."

"I'm so white, I know." Sora giggled and pumped his legs so he began to swing. Axel dangled his leg off of the branch and felt how easily it moved in the free air. "Oh man, you know what we should do?"

"I'm not fucking you, Sora."

"I'm past that but thanks for the sentiment, glad to know you were thinking about it too."

"What is it?"

"We should go get tattoos."

"I…well I was going to say that I have enough but then I'd be a liar," Axel said. He gave serious consideration to the idea. It'd definitely take his mind off of Roxas. "Or maybe a piercing."

"Ooo I'll leave you alone for the rest of your life if you pierce your dick," Sora said with varying degrees of volume caused by his swinging. He flicked his finished cigarette off beyond the tree and continued to push himself as hard as he could to get going as high as he could.

"I would very much like you to leave me alone but I'm not doing that. That's just disgusting."

"I know it is which is why I would leave you alone for the rest of your life."

"Point taken," Axel flicked his cigarette butt out of the tree. "Goddamn are you going high enough?"

"Nope!" Sora called as he swung forward; hanging in the air almost perpendicular to the branch the sing was attached to. He let out a joyful squeal and let himself fly off the seat and landed on his feet with a '_thump_.' Axel winced at the sound.

"Didn't that hurt?"

"Naw, I have awesome legs. Roxas has the awesome arms. I can't pull myself for shit without my knees." Sora started to run a few feet before jutting his arms forward and doing a cartwheel. Axel raised a brow and clapped lightly.

"I can't do anything like that. I'm pretty boring."

"My mom got me a trampoline when I was little because I was so hyper and I taught myself to do a bunch of weird stuff."

"You _were_ hyper? Are you not supposed to be anymore?"

"Oh I am. But not as much, puberty does that."

"Funny, I remember becoming more energetic when I hit puberty," Axel said calmly and pulled another cigarette out and lit up.

"Energetic for different reasons anyway," Sora added and went to stand under the tree. "Okay let's see if I can do this without breaking my wrists," he said mostly to himself before kicking off his shoes and socks. The redhead watched with a raised brow as the brunette ran a distance to gain momentum and hopped before doing three consecutive cartwheels and flopping onto his ass with an audible '_oomph_.' Axel started laughing at him and Sora held his butt and whined. "That wasn't supposed to happen!" he cried. The brunette rocked back and fourth a little, adjusting to the pain.

"What the hell was that supposed to be?" Axel said through his laughs.

"That was Sora being stupid and forgetting he needs a springboard," the brunette whimpered.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. My ass is ghettolicious so it's good cushioning," he said and rolled to his side with a whine. "Oh my god."

"Should I call someone?"

"Just give me your healing touch and I'll be fine."

"No."

"You're so mean to me," the brunette said and tested his legs before slowly pull himself to his feet. He stretched a little and winced. "I'm going to have a nasty bruise."

"We should take pictures of it and post them on FaceBook."

"No! Don't do that," he whined and wobbled his way back to the swing. Axel took another inhale and snickered to himself. He sighed after his laughing with a smile.

"Ah, the things you see when you don't have a video camera."

"That was a total accident by the way."

"Sure it was."

"I'm serious!"

"I know. You were actually doing well until that last part."

"Thanks."

***

"Would you leave me if I pierced my dick?" Axel asked casually. Roxas stopped typing in mid-word and blinked at him with a look of shock. It took him a minute to readjust his thoughts before he could clearly answer the redhead. He shook his head. "Okay good, I'll be back in a while. I'm heading out with Sora." The redhead said before closing the study door behind him leaving Roxas to process what he said.

***

Olette seemed to know where she was going. Seeming to know and actually knowing are in fact two different things and Axel was hoping with all his might that it was the latter of the two. Sora sat next to him in the back seat watching the traffic whiz by.

"What did Roxas say?" he asked.

"Nothing. I didn't give him a chance to react," Axel responded.

"You just left him hanging? That's great. He's going to be so confused when we get back."

"I know, and I'm going to ignore him like he's ignoring me. For the most part anyway."

"Ouch. Don't ruin your relationship now."

"I'm not going to. I'm just tired of waiting and this will give me something to do until he gives in."

"That's weird. Do you like torturing people?"

"I'm starting to like it more and more as I become more cynical."

"At least you're honest about it." There was a moment of silence between the two. Olette hummed happily to her music and Sora did a little dance in his seat. "How long do you think this will take?"

"The longer the better."

"The longer the more distraction you mean?"

"Yeah."

"Ah. Good deal."

"I want a hamster," Olette chimed from the front seat with no precursor. Both boys raised their brows at the girl and she giggled at them in the rearview mirror. "My parents sent me some money for Christmas and I want a hamster so I think I will busy myself with that while you two are getting your things done."

"Ooo! Get one and name it after me," Sora said with a grin.

"Maybe. I have to think about it."

"What's there to think about? I'm cuddly and I'm cute and I'm small. Just like a hamster."

"That is very true," she agreed. Olette pulled into a plaza and parked off to the side. The tattoo/piercing parlor was a very tiny place with only two stations. Sora went off immediately to ogle the designs on the walls while a man with about twenty tons of metal in his face approached the front counter and began talking with Olette. Axel knew what he wanted but Sora had no idea. The redhead idly flipped through the artist's portfolio making sure he was getting reliable work done and the brunette sifted through a section of extremely colorful designs set up in a book by the walls.

"Would it be horribly gay if I got a unicorn on my butt?" Sora asked.

"Yes. Yes it would," Axel said and rolled his eyes.

"Just wondering."

"Is this your first one?"

"No. I have the same one Riku does."

"Oh. I have no idea what that is."

"I don't think you want to, so I'll keep it to myself for now." Axel thought that was a strange way to put it but he didn't say anything. He took Sora's word for it. The metallic man called Olette over and Axel followed to look at the stencil of his tattoo and nodded that it was what he wanted. He showed the man the space on his back it was to occupy and followed him in the back and took off his shirt.

"Can I watch?" Olette asked. "I have never seen this before."

"What about your hamster?" Axel asked as he leaned forward on the tilted table.

"Hamsters can wait. I probably won't stay for the entire thing, are you sure you do not want to split the sessions?"

"I'll be fine. Just make sure Sora doesn't do something stupid to himself in the meantime." Olette giggled and left Axel with the artist for the prep work. After the proper sanitation and machine setup Axel confirmed the placing with a mirror and closed his eyes peacefully when he heard the buzz of the tattoo gun spring to life. He heard faint giggling coming from Olette and Sora a distance away but he ignored them and concentrated on the pinching he felt across his skin. It was very therapeutic for him and was only really painful when the man ran over his spine and dipped low into the small of his back but he was prepared for it.

Olette came back in and sat in a chair the artist had provided for her and watched. Sora stuck his head in as well and smiled before leaving again and talking with the other artist. Eventually another tattoo gun started up and Axel heard Sora suck in a breath before he started talking to the woman he was working with. He wished he could understand them; instead he was locked in language limbo with his guy. After a couple hours, Sora was finished. He giggled happily with his artist and he peeked in to see Axel was only half finished.

"Wow dude, how long can you sit there?"

"As long as it takes, really. I like it," Axel said and yawned a little.

"Huh. Well, mine's done."

"What did you get?"

"An Ouroboros."

"A who-what?"

"An Ouroboros, a dragon eating its own tail in the shape of a circle symbolizing re-creation, cyclical life, rebirth, that sort of thing, it's an ancient symbol."

"Ah. Interesting. Very philosophical. Decided against the unicorn then?"

"Yeah that's a little _too_ gay. Don't want be horribly obvious and give away the entire package now do I?"

"I suppose not." Axel smiled.

"Come to the pet store with me," Olette said and Sora smiled. "We will be back Axel."

"Take your time," he said and closed his eyes again.

***

The only thing that hurt was Axel's back. Not because of the tattoo but because it was stiff from sitting so long in a stooped position. He stretched some when his artist poked him to tell him he was finished. They walked to a full length mirror together and Axel was handed another so he could see behind him. He was very satisfied.

"Awesome. Thanks so much," he said even though he knew that the man wouldn't understand him. He followed it up with a giant grin and the man smiled. The man took a several pictures of his work to stick in his portfolio. Conveniently, Olette and Sora came back in jabbering on excitedly to each other just as his artist finished dressing the area and Axel pulled on his shirt.

"Well?" Sora asked.

"It's fantastic. I wish I could recommend people here without them having to buy a plane ticket."

"I know right? This place is great. Think Roxas will like it?"

"Honestly, I don't think he'll care much. But we're still playing it like I skewered my dick."

"Right-o!" Sora chirped with a smile.

***

Olette's hamster was named Gherkin. He scampered back and fourth in the tiny plastic box he was transported in with wide, scared eyes. Olette had bought every meaningless thing they made for hamsters and was sitting in the middle of her room clicking the many plastic pieces together for Gherkin's new home. Xigbar was trying to help her with little success.

"What is this for?" he asked with a disgruntled face holding up a bright pink tube and Olette handed him the directions. He squinted at the diagrams for a while before picking up something similar and the pieces clicked together easily. Axel hadn't gone up to see Roxas yet because Sora was already upstairs distracting the blonde. He sat on the floor next to Olette's nightstand where Gherkin's box was and peered inside. The rodent was panting heavily.

"I hope he doesn't have a heart attack before you guys finish his house," the redhead quipped.

"Don't say that!" Olette squeaked with a worried face.

"Axel!" Sora called from the staircase. The redhead stood to go find him instead of yelling back and blowing the animal's eardrums out.

"Yeah?"

"Roxas wants to see you."

"Did he _say_ that?"

"No. But I guessed," the brunette said and walked down the stairs and headed off to Olette's room. Axel jogged his way up the stairs and entered Roxas' bedroom.

"What?" he asked and the blonde looked a little relieved. Roxas crossed the room and closed the door and clicked the lock before approaching Axel with a mildly concerned face. He went to hug the redhead and Axel stopped him with a hand against his forehead, holding him at arms length. "I don't want any touching, I'm pretty sore." The blonde sighed and stopped his advance. He swallowed hard and opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself. Axel quirked a brow. "I don't want you to break your vow of silence for my sake, just take my word for it." Roxas nodded.

***

Axel's back was starting to feel entirely crusted over by New Years Eve. He had effectively hidden his new addition from the blonde and they had been sleeping in separate beds for the last three days which didn't help with his frustration but at least he gained some sanity with the idea that Roxas probably felt the same way. Sora stayed with Roxas those evenings and Axel was thankful for the break from the boy.

The redhead couldn't climb the tree. He felt like his skin was going to split apart if he reached his arms up too high so he resolved himself to smoking on the swing. Roxas had crinkled his nose at Axel for starting to smoke again but didn't seem particularly upset. Sora sat next to him after stealing another cigarette from him.

"Are you excited?" the brunette asked.

"I am actually. I'm considering prolonging this as long as he did, but I feel like I'm going insane."

"I commend you for not jumping him and ripping his ass apart."

"Thanks, I like to think I have relatively high will power."

"That you do. You haven't been to the clinic in like… six days?"

"Yep."

"Awesome, that makes _me_ feel better actually. Do you forgive me yet?" Sora asked and looked at Axel with an apologetic face. The redhead believed his sincerity this time around.

"Yeah. I can forgive you."

"Thanks," Sora sighed with relief. "Oh my god I feel so much better you have no idea." They sat together in a relatively comfortable silence for a minute before Sora began to speak again. "I heard Roxas talking to Olette today."

"Oh yeah? So he _does_ have a voice?" Axel perked up and looked at the brunette expectantly.

"He does, and it works just fine and he doesn't sound any different. They were sitting and playing with Gherkin in Olette's room while you were in the shower but they were talking in French so I didn't understand them."

"Fuck. Where the hell are you guys pulling all these languages from anyway?"

"The Academy required we try at least two languages. Two years of whatever ones we wanted or a combination of however many. They just wanted us to be taking a foreign language every year we were in high school. They offered German, Spanish, Greek, French, Russian and Latin. Roxas took French and German. I took Greek and Spanish."

"Oh."

"Roxas was always more serious about the culture stuff because he actually deals with foreign countries. I only know more Greek now because I lived here for a little over two weeks before you guys came here back at the end of November so I got reacquainted."

"I took a semester of Spanish my freshman year, but I've completely forgotten all of it by this point," Axel said and exhaled the last bit of his cigarette and tossed the butt into the grass. "I'll be happy to go home where the people speak English almost everywhere."

"_Almost_ being the operative word, yeah. How's your back? Mine's pretty crunchy."

"Same here. Did you show Roxas?"

"Not yet. He knows it's there but he hasn't actually seen it yet. I probably won't show him until all the scabs fall off."

"I can't wait that long," Axel said and leaned his head against the chain of the swing. The back door opened and Zexion walked out with a book and sat at the table near the door. Roxas followed out shortly after.

"Hi Roxxy. Axel forgave me finally," Sora said gleefully and kicked his feet. The blonde smiled but looked tense. Axel could tell he wanted a hug or something comforting but he chose to ignore it. Roxas sat on the tree's roots and picked at the grass. "Good lord you look depressing, boy," Sora said with furrowed brows. "Quit being emo and get excited for the New Year!" Roxas rolled his eyes.

"Now now, don't push him. He can be emo if he wants to," Axel chided and Sora huffed. The redhead pushed himself back on the swing to stand with the seat supporting him and lifted his legs up to let it swing upwards. Sora followed suit and they both pumped their legs to gain speed. Roxas watched them from the ground. "Did you want to swing Roxas?" The blonde shrugged. Axel skidded to a stop. "Seriously, what's wrong? Worried?" He nodded. "What for? You think I did something horrible to myself?" The blonde nodded again.

"Oh he did, you should see it, it's gruesome" Sora said as he zoomed by on the swing. Roxas eyes widened a bit and Axel shrugged.

"I think it turned out just fine. I'm satisfied with it." The redhead got off the swing and patted the seat. Roxas stood and dusted the dirt from his pants before sitting. Axel pulled the swing back by the chains a few feet and let him go. The blonde let Axel do all the work to keep him moving and simply sat, enjoying the momentum. Sora launched himself from the swing again and Zexion winced at the sound of his landing. "How's you ass by the way?" Axel called to the brunette. Roxas looked over his shoulder at him with an angry face. The redhead grinned.

"Oh my god there's a _huge_ bruise. It's like as big as a grapefruit dude; I have no idea how long it's going to take to heal. It's terrible." Sora stopped the swing from flailing out of control and draped himself over it again with his stomach on the seat. He started to wind the chains up by turning in circles. "I would show you but I don't want to scar Zexion."

"Oh please," Zexion said and rolled his eyes. He turned a page and Axel realized he was reading one of the books he had bought the man for Christmas. It made him feel a little fuzzy inside.

"I'm serious," Sora insisted and was standing on his tip toes at this point with how much the chains had wound around themselves. He pulled his legs up and started to spin rapidly. He squealed amusedly and let the slack run out before he stopped himself. "Oh man that was great," he said with a childish smile. He blinked a few times and grabbed his head, "oh man, no it's not. I'm so dizzy."

"You'll have that," Axel said and gave Roxas another firm push. On the backswing, the blonde put his right foot to the ground and started to halt himself keeping his left leg out of harms way. Axel caught the chains and stopped him the rest of the way. "What is it?" Roxas looked up at the branches and wore a contemplating face. He looked to Axel then pointed up. "You want to climb it? Can you?" the redhead asked with a raised brow.

"He'll need a leg up so to speak, but after that he should be okay," Sora said after his head stopped spinning. Axel furrowed his brows at the thought of lifting the blonde but gave his arms a tentative stretch over his head to test out the skin on his back and decided it wouldn't be too horrible; he just had to play it cool. The brunette stood on his swing and pushed himself up the chain by his feet and grabbed onto the branch. Zexion watched them curiously.

"Okay then, just don't fall," Axel warned and cupped his hands together for Roxas to use like a step. The blonde flicked off his shoes and socks and rolled up his sleeves before using Axel's shoulders for stability and stepped in his hands. Axel grunted when his back protested but lifted the blonde up as he reached for a branch. Roxas dangled from the wood with a small smile for a minute and Sora perched himself on the same branch, waiting for the blonde.

"Need help?" The brunette asked and Roxas shook his head. He sniffed a little before flexing his arms a little and pulling himself up and over the branch. Every muscle stood out in his arms in the effort making Axel want to jump him hungrily. Only after he draped his torso over the branch did Roxas use his right leg to push himself onto it fully and straddle it. Sora giggled and hugged the blonde from behind. "You're so buff." Axel was equally as impressed.

"God damn, everyone is in better shape than I am," he huffed from the ground. Sora laughed.

"Are you kidding me? You're so thin."

"Yeah yeah, I know. But I have no tone. Fuck this; I'm going to start working out when we get home." Roxas smiled from in the tree and moved to pull himself over another branch. Axel sat on the swing and fought the urge to check his skin and see if he was bleeding. He knew he wouldn't be but it felt like he was. Sora giggled and followed after the blonde.

***

Champagne was doled out in elaborate flutes to everyone as they sat around the fire, watching the clock together. Axel's heart was in his throat and Roxas looked equally as fidgety. Olette let Gherkin run around in his clear plastic ball under the coffee table and there was a light tap when he ran into the legs. Sora was stooped on the ground watching him.

"I wonder if he can actually see the table or if he's just guessing," the brunette said curiously. Gherkin clicked into another leg and turned around the other way.

"I'm not sure, but it is cute to watch," Olette said with an adoring smiled.

"If I ran into things would I be just as cute?"

"I doubt it," she giggled. "We would wonder if you were blind."

"See that's what I don't get, animals can do stupid things and everyone craps themselves at how cute it is but if you try to imitate it, you get tossed in the loony bin or they assume there is a problem." Olette shrugged.

"Life is not fair, Sora," she said.

"Go ahead and try to run into the wall and see if it's cute," Axel said and Roxas nudged him in the ribs. Xigbar laughed. The clock ticked away at an agonizing pace that made Axel more and more nervous as it went on. Even after the stroke of midnight he had to wait another minute for the alarm in his phone to go off before Roxas would say anything. Gherkin emerged from under the table and ran into the redhead's foot. Both he and Roxas lifted their limbs so the rodent could scurry away and down the length of the couch. Olette crawled after him. Axel checked the clock again and it didn't seem to have moved any. "Is that thing running?" Xigbar checked his watch.

"Yeah, it's going. It has the right time too."

"I'm not used to having to watch a clock; usually I'm in front of the television watching the ball drop in Times Square."

"Yeah, me too. This seems so much slower."

"We could go into the living room and watch the countdown for the fireworks in Athens," Olette called from not very far away. Gherkin tapped into another piece of furniture.

"Nah, we're already so close," Xigbar said. Roxas drooped in his seat a little and rested his head against Axel's shoulder. The redhead surprised him and moved to wrap his arm around the blonde. Roxas sighed.

"Anxious?" Axel asked. Roxas nodded. The fifteen second mark came and everyone except Axel and Roxas started to count down with the seconds. Olette rejoined them with Gherkin's ball in her hands and took up her flute. Time seemed to drag along slower as the last few seconds passed and everyone cheered.

"Happy New Year!" everyone except the pair called and downed their champagne. Olette went to put Gherkin back in his plastic city.

"To the fireworks!" Sora squealed and flew past the couch towards the back yard. Xigbar collected the empty flutes and went to deposit them in the sink. Zexion walked calmly outside followed shortly by the older man. Olette was heard giggling as well and the back door opened and shut one last time. Axel eyed the clock and pulled out his Blackberry. He hoped he had adjusted the time zone right on the thing otherwise he could be waiting another day. Roxas was watching his face.

"You know what I think? I think you pierced your tongue," Axel said and the blonde raised a brow. "Am I right?"

"Are you?" Roxas asked. The redhead smiled.

"It's so nice to hear you again."

"It's nice to talk again, really. I was getting depressed."

"You looked depressed." Axel jumped as his Blackberry sprang to life and his alarm sounded. He clicked it off and tossed it on the coffee table. He pulled the blonde in his lap and Roxas straddled his legs carefully. He pulled their mouths together and Axel felt something warm and metal brush over his lips. "You're so sneaky," he said with a grin and locked them both together again. He smoothed his hands over Roxas' thighs and the blonde let out a shudder.

"It's amazing feeling you hands again," the blonde whispered into his lips.

"It was only three days," Axel responded and he smiled. He wouldn't freely admit how much he had missed the blonde only after one. "You, on the other hand, starved me for a week. You're terrible."

"I know. But what did you think about during that time?"

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't been to the clinic for several days and we're going home in two. I'd say you've made remarkable progress. The distraction I gave you is something I needed more for myself than for you. I needed to know if you would be okay when we went home," Roxas rested his forehead against the redhead's as Axel contemplated what the blonde had told him.

"I started smoking again," he said with a small voice.

"Smoking is fine if you have no other vice. Cutting you off from everything you were using to distract yourself, that is - myself, I got to see how you reacted and I can judge my movements accordingly now to give you as much success as I can."

"Oh," Axel said as he mulled the information over.

"Now, more importantly, you didn't really pierce yourself did you? I'm not sure how I feel about that one," the blonde leaned back and sat on Axel's knees, folding his arms over his chest. Axel blinked the fog away in his mind and grinned deviously.

"I dunno, why don't you check?"

"I would rather be told up front, I don't like surprises."

"You're no fun. I'm not going to tell you," Axel pouted and Roxas rolled his eyes but held his ground and made no move to check. "I wasn't lying when I told you I was sore."

"Really?"

"Nope. My back is killing me."

"Too much playing with Sora?" Roxas asked with a curt smile and Axel snorted.

"Hardly. I'm so happy he slept with you the last three nights you have no idea."

"Ah well, I'm sorry to hear your back hurts," the blonde said and shuffled backwards to stand. He took his champagne flute and downed the liquid. "Happy New Year by the way," he said nonchalantly.

"Oh yeah. Happy New Year," Axel drank his champagne as well and stood. He closed the glass doors on the fireplace and followed Roxas into the kitchen and they both dropped their flutes in the sink. Roxas turned on the taller boy and looked him over.

"This is ridiculous, I have to know," he said mostly to himself and pulled Axel closer by his shirt. The redhead let out a sigh as Roxas' hands slid over his groin through his pants, probing every curve and inspecting every divot. He let out a relieved breath, "I'm so happy you didn't." He laid his head on the taller boy's chest and Axel hugged him.

"Yeah, they're pretty disgusting. I had every opportunity to, though," he said. Roxas stuck his hands under the redhead's shirt and felt around the small of his back a little. Axel waited, preparing for a wince if the blonde would run over a scab and when he did, the smaller boy let out a surprised yelp and pulled his hand away. He rubbed his fingers together with furrowed brows.

"What the hell was that?" he asked.

"A giant scab," Axel said and Roxas pulled away and carefully shoved the back of shirt up.

"Good lord that's disgusting… is that a tattoo?"

"You've never seen one heal before?"

"I had no idea they needed healing. Is that a phoenix?"

"Yeah. You'll have to have a better look when it's done. It's probably pretty gross right now."

"Yes. Yes it is. Your bird has the plague and I feel sorry for it," Roxas said and Axel laughed some. The blonde let the shirt fall back and had a thoughtful face. "Looks like you'll be on top for a while then."

"I suppose I will," Axel said with a smile.

"That's my New Years resolution by the way."

"What to get a tattoo?"

"No, I want to get more comfortable with you and maybe try a little role reversal," Roxas blushed a little but said it so casually; it caught the redhead off guard. He wasn't sure he was entirely keen on the idea.

"Oh… I suppose I'll have to work on getting comfortable with that too. That'd be new for me," Axel fidgeted a little in his spot and Roxas laughed a little under his breath. He tried to distract himself from that thought process a little and blurted the first thing that came to mind. "I want to test that new piercing."

"Hm? Oh…we can't do that for another week yet. The swelling only went down completely the day before last. It was nice to not feel like I had a speech impediment."

"Well that sucks."

"I know."

"What made you want to get it there?"

"It's easy enough to hide and… the other reasons we mentioned a second ago," Roxas blushed a bright red and Axel grinned. He hugged the blonde again and rubbed his face in his feathery hair. Roxas draped his arms on Axel's hips and didn't hug him too hard, for fear of disturbing his back. There was a small boom outside and the sky lit up briefly in a light blue. "Looks like they're actually setting off fireworks."

"That's legal?"

"Who's going to tell?"

"You're so rebellious today, Roxas," Axel said affectionately and kissed the top of the blonde's head.

"Yeah well, it's the New Year and I haven't done much for the last week, so I feel a little daring."

"I can understand that. Shall we watch and see if Sora blows a hand off?"

"Sure," Roxas agreed and pulled out of Axel's embrace and took his hand. Axel smiled when he felt the hard press of the ring against his palm. They walked together outside and Sora squealed at them when the closed the door. Xigbar stood from a crouching position in the distance and a stream of fire shot into the sky and exploded in a burst of red. Olette and Zexion clapped a little from their spot under the tree.

"Roxxy!" Sora cried when he met up with the pair.

"Hello Sora."

"It's so nice to hear you again!" he grinned. "I'm surprised you two aren't going at it like rabbits upstairs."

"Me too actually," Roxas said and looked up at Axel who shrugged.

"You're sleeping by yourself," Axel added and Sora's mouth fell open.

"Aw come on! Go back inside and get it out of your systems if that's going to be the alternative," the brunette pouted and shoved them both towards the doors.

"But the fireworks," Roxas said over his shoulder. Xigbar shot off another one and there was an over glow of purple.

"I don't want to sleep alone, go! Go screw! Fuck! Jackhammers! Other stuff! Move it!"

Axel and Roxas stumbled over the threshold and back into the house. Sora closed the door firmly behind them. The redhead looked to the blonde "what just happened?"

"I'm not entirely sure. Did you want to see the fireworks?"

"I do actually," he said. He tested the door and found that it was locked so he turned the lock from the inside and pushed the door open. Sora quickly jumped up.

"Oh no you don't! Get back in there and make babies!" he yelled. Olette and Zexion looked around the tree with wide eyes at Sora's outburst.

"Babies?" Roxas asked.

"Yes! Horrible deformed butt babies! Go!" he pulled the doors closed again. Axel burst into laughter.

"He's serious."

"That's the worst part. I really don't want him sleeping with us tonight anyway, regardless of what we do."

"I know," the redhead agreed. "Let's take his lock pick set and lock the doors."

"I already took his lock picks and tossed them. I didn't feel comfortable with him having them."

"Ah. Good. Let's go sit in front of the fire," Axel suggested. Roxas nodded.

"That sounds nice."


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Zexion yawned. It was going on three in the morning as he shuffled his way down the hallway to his bedroom and nearly collided into Sora who was sitting on the floor in front of Roxas' door. He hugged his knees to his chest and stared into the carpet. The brunette looked upset.

"What's wrong, Sora?" he asked.

"Roxas and Axel locked all the doors and I can't find my lock picks."

"Why do you have lock picks?" Zexion raised a slender brow.

"Occupational equipment; I'm not going into any more detail," the brunette huffed and rubbed his eyes. "I'm really tired."

"Then go to bed."

"I can't sleep by myself. I get all nervous and jittery."

"I seem to remember you feeling the same way with thunderstorms."

"Yeah, when I was like… little."

"Don't remind me, it makes me feel old. I still remember changing your diapers like it was only a few hours ago."

"That's kind of weird."

"Yes well I like to think I have a good memory. But the dynamic is different now because you're almost as tall as I am now." Zexion sat on the floor with the boy and looked into his eyes. "I don't think Axel and Roxas want any company right now, you should try to get some sleep." Sora laid his head on his knees and shook his head.

"I have a problem."

"Well at least you recognize it," he agreed and leaned back. Zexion thought about what they could do to rectify the issue. Xigbar and Olette were already asleep and the other two were… otherwise occupied. He sighed. "Come on, you can sleep with me." Sora lifted his head.

"Really?"

"Yes. It'll be like you're four again." Sora nodded a little.

"Okay."

***

Xigbar coughed loudly and held his coffee cup at arms length. "Good god that's terrible! People actually sell this stuff?" He gave it a glare. Olette giggled.

"My friend Aerith _loved_ it. She bought some for herself."

"Does she happen to have trees for armpit hair and work at the lumber mill? I might actually have to put cream and sugar in this." The older man grumbled and started to look through the cabinets.

"It wasn't Axel's idea to give you any, so do not get angry with him."

"I'm not angry; it's actually pretty funny that it's so bad. But man that was a punch in the face. No warning either it's just like bam! Manly coffee!"

"It is a nice way to wake up, yes?"

"Not really." Xigbar was stirring his coffee when Zexion walked around the corner, followed shortly by Sora. "Good morning. You have to try this shit Axel gave me, Zex."

"If it involves literal 'shit' then no thank you," the slate-haired man said calmly and went to grab himself a cup. He looked at the slight amount of coffee left. "I assume that's all that's left?"

"Yeah he only gave me a little, try some," Xigbar said with a grin. Zexion eyed him cautiously and Olette tried to hide her giggles behind her teacup. He poured himself a little in the bottom of the mug and took a sip. He immediately scrunched his face up disdainfully and spit the bit in the sink.

"Fuck! That's awful!" he cried and wiped at his mouth. Xigbar started laughing uproariously and Olette joined him. Sora looked confused.

"I haven't heard you swear like that in years!" Xigbar said and wiped at his eyes. "That was so worth it, oh my sides," he said, holding his ribcage.

"Can I try?" Sora asked. Zexion handed the boy his cup and the brunette upended the rest of slight amount. He smacked his lips a little at the taste. "It's not that bad, you guys. You're such weenies." Xigbar quirked a brow at him and tried to stifle the rest of his chuckles.

"Really? You like it? Here have mine," he said and handed the brunette his mug. Sora took a sip and shrugged. Zexion dumped the rest of the coffee out and set up a new brew and left the machine on to run.

"Have you packed yet, Sora?" he asked. The brunette nodded a little and stared into the pattern of the granite countertop. "What's the problem?" Zexion followed up, noticing Sora's blank face.

"I'm a little nervous to go home with you guys."

"Why is that?"

"Namine, mostly. I dunno if I'm allowed to stay with you all at Roxas' house, I haven't asked yet so I'm nervous about where I'm going to live."

"I'm sure Roxas won't let you be homeless."

"I know, but I'm not sure Axel feels about it." Sora nursed his mug with an uncertain face.

"Well it's ultimately Roxas' decision, yes?"

"If you're not allowed home, you could stay here with me," Olette offered. Sora looked at her then back into his coffee.

"Thanks, but this place isn't home for me. Plus, Riku's house is across the street and I'm not sure I should be around that," he said carefully.

"That's a good idea if you want to stay on Roxas' good side," Xigbar said. "I'm happy you're coming to your senses about him."

"I still miss him," the brunette added.

"Of course you would, you spent most of your life with him," Zexion said and opened the refrigerator. He brought out a dozen eggs and some cheese. "Hungry?" Sora nodded then sighed.

"Do you think Marly and Demmy would be okay if I was to stay with you all?"

"That I can't say," Xigbar said. "Luxord is living with us again as well."

"I didn't know that," Sora said with wide eyes. "Are he and Larxene getting back together?"

"That's Luxord's plan anyway. We haven't heard much outside of holiday greetings from them since November."

"That'd be nice for Roxas if they decided to stay together," Sora said and felt a pang through his chest. He sighed and tried his best to push the memories of having a family away. The thoughts of being alone for the rest of his life crept into their places and he couldn't help but feel his stomach tighten and his breath get caught in his throat. He felt his eyes water a little and blinked the tears away. Olette set her teacup on the counter and came around to the other side to pull Sora into her chest. She rubbed her face in his hair comfortingly and spoke in a low voice in his ear. He couldn't understand her French but set his mug on the counter to hug her back. Xigbar looked contemplative. Zexion kept his back turned to the pair and started to whip eggs for an omelet.

"Do you think Axel really forgives me?" Sora sniffled against Olette's pajamas.

"I have no idea, kid. There's a lot about Axel that's still a mystery to me. When he came to the house, we tried to find out as much as we could about him legally but then Roxas got his record off of Namine and he's been a big ball of questions since then. He doesn't seem like a bad guy but he still put Riku in the hospital without batting an eye and that has everyone keeping an eye on him. Not that Riku didn't deserve it, but still," Xigbar said with furrowed brows. "So I can't really tell if he's sincere or not, or if he'll explode if you push him too hard. Just be careful and trust Roxas' judgment for now." Sora nodded. "More importantly, don't do anything stupid to yourself and you won't lose everything he's given you. If you betray Roxas' trust again, he may not let you back. He rules his castle with an iron fist and it would benefit you to remember that."

"Okay," the brunette mumbled and wiped his eyes. Olette stroked his hair gently some more.

"You will be fine," she said.

"I hope so."

***

"I don't understand how you can keep going," Roxas panted. He shuddered and let his head lean against the glass of the shower wall when he felt Axel's tongue run over the inside of his thigh. He was exhausted but the redhead was persistent. The lower half of his torso and parts of his thighs were littered with hickeys and Axel looked like his chest and neck had been bashed in with a log. The previous evening had been exhilarating and lasted for several hours. They fell asleep together and woke up that afternoon to start the process all over again.

"I'm just that awesome," Axel muttered with his lips against Roxas' skin. The blonde laughed a little and sucked in a breath as the redhead's fingers danced up the opposite leg and pressed against his stiff length. Axel flicked his eyes up to watch Roxas' expression as he enveloped the blonde's warmth in his mouth. The redhead reached around and pulled Roxas forward some on the stone seat for better leverage. The smaller boy's face went slack with want and he laid a hand in Axel's hair, pushing him down a little feeling his throat work him over. He let out a squeak he didn't mean to have happen when he felt Axel's lips bury themselves in his hair. The redhead pulled back and gave him a few firm strokes with his long fingers. The sensation, though nice, was so different from the other that some of the tingling that had been building up inside Roxas dissipated.

"Don't tease," Roxas growled at his partner. Axel laughed and the velvety sound brushed against the inside of the blonde's cloudy mind and made his skin break out in goosebumps even under the warm spray of the shower. The redhead let his length go and went back to licking his skin, drinking the water that beaded together on him. "Oh you're awful," Roxas spat and Axel smiled against the meat of his thigh. He wrapped his arms around the blonde's waist and moved farther up his torso. Roxas glared at him and Axel's jade eyes glittered mirthfully. "You're enjoying this too much," he huffed.

"Maybe." He opened his mouth and bared his teeth before clamping onto Roxas' abdomen and pulling at his skin a little with his canines. The feeling sent a shock up the blonde's spine that made him twitch forward and grab onto Axel's hair. The redhead let out a throaty chuckle against him and ran his hands over the curve of the blonde's back. He reached up and pulled Roxas' mouth down to his. The blonde slid himself off the seat and Axel sat back against the wall. The smaller boy straddled Axel's thighs and broke their kiss to lap at the other's throat. The redhead pulled his legs up some so Roxas slid forward and reached between their bodies to run his hand over both of their lengths in tandem. Roxas let out another shudder.

"I'm not sure how much more I can take, Axel."

"Whatever do you mean?" the redhead said innocently and grabbed Roxas harshly causing a gasp to emanate from him.

"_That._ That's not fair," the blonde panted. Axel gave him a toothy grin and started to stroke him gently making Roxas' thighs ripple with unintentional spasms. Roxas leaned himself forward on his knees and rested his forehead and an arm up against the tile wall over the redhead's shoulder. Axel took to tasting his skin again but kept his hand moving on Roxas' length. The redhead's free hand slid around his thigh and kept and ear open for any protesting when he started to probe the blonde tenderly with a finger. The smaller boy let out a shuddering breath under his touch.

"Are you okay to continue?" Axel asked quietly and Roxas nodded and closed his eyes. The blonde sagged a little in his posture which didn't sit right with redhead. He let go of Roxas' warmth and pulled his other hand away. Roxas pushed himself away from the wall with shaking arms and looked down at Axel who was looking up at him with a scrutinizing face.

"What's wrong?" he panted. Roxas' limbs were shaking and his breathing was uneven. He was sore in places he didn't know could be sore but he didn't want to stop the redhead from enjoying himself.

"You're not okay."

"Sure I am," he said and tried to give him a reassuring smile. Axel pushed his thighs down and Roxas sat back into his lap. The redhead wrapped his arms around the boy and pulled him to lie on his chest. Roxas let out a breath, relieved he didn't have to continue.

"No, you're not," Axel huffed and laid a cheek against Roxas' dripping hair. The blonde draped his arms over the other's shoulders limply.

"I'm just tired," he said, "and sore."

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to push you."

"I'll be fine. Just give me a day to rest a little."

"You should have said something."

"I didn't want to hold you back."

"Well I didn't want to hurt you, which do you think I'm more concerned about?" Axel said gruffly and squeezed Roxas closer giving him a clear answer. The blonde nodded against his chest and closed his eyes again. Axel sighed. He used one arm to keep Roxas pressed against him while he reached up and groped for the soap from the dish. He worked the bar in his hands and ran the lather over Roxas' back. The blonde moved around obediently letting Axel wash him in silence.

"How's your back?" he asked while taking his turn and running the soap over the redhead's chest. Axel was leaning against the wall of the shower with his back pressed to it fully so that seemed like a good sign.

"It feels better when it's wet but I wouldn't look at it," he said and Roxas nodded.

"Are you happy to be going home soon?"

"I'm not sure how I feel yet. I'm actually a little nervous."

"When do you want to give me your phone?"

"Sometime between now and when we get off the plane."

"Okay." The water was starting run cold and Roxas shivered. Axel hugged him close and reached up to turn the knob off. "I might just go back to sleep," the blonde said from Axel's shoulder.

"I don't blame you. It must be harder on you than it is for me," he said, mostly for himself but Roxas nodded anyway. After all, the blonde was taking the brunt of the action and even though he enjoyed himself it started to take its toll on his small frame. The redhead helped him stand and ushered him back to the bed after a quick once-over with a towel. Axel returned to the bathroom and gaped at himself in the mirror. He sighed and went back into his bedroom to dig through his things.

"What are you looking for?" Roxas asked from beneath the covers.

"I need to cover up my neck, it looks like a gorilla attacked me," he huffed and Roxas stifled a laugh. He held up the little bottle of liquid concealer once he found it.

"A very small and non threatening gorilla?"

"Yeah but he had the prettiest blue eyes. You should have seen him."

***

"What the hell do you have in this? Good lord," Axel huffed as he lifted another box into the back of the truck. A delivery service was taking Sora's things back overseas early so it would all be there shortly after they came home. Axel, Sora and Xigbar were helping the men move boxes around in the front yard.

"I have no idea, actually. I didn't pack these boxes; you'll have to ask Xigbar."

"I only got the stuff that looked like it mattered," Xigbar said and set his box on the floor of the truck. "I think that's the last one. Did Roxas get the express delivery?" he asked and Sora took a clipboard from one of the men and flipped through the papers.

"Yep, they'll be there in four days. Good, because I only packed enough clothes for five. As long as I don't shit myself I think I'll have enough underwear."

"Let's hope you've moved on and are actually potty trained," Xigbar added and dug in his pocket for his cigarettes and lighter. Sora handed the clipboard back and they all said their thanks and waved as the men drove away. The three of them walked around to the back of the house. Sora stole a cigarette from Axel and they sat together peacefully under the tree.

"I'm not looking forward to the snow," Axel said and leaned his head back against the trunk.

"I'm not looking forward to seeing Namine," Sora said and Axel nodded in agreement.

"That's going to be a rough one," Xigbar added.

"I already feel awful and I haven't even seen her face," the brunette sighed and went to sit on a swing.

"As long as she stays away from sharp objects, I think you'll be safe. I won't let her kill you at least," the older man said. "Unless you do something to deserve it, that is." Sora gave him a tense smile. The back door opened and Roxas came out in his pajamas.

"Good morning, finally," Sora said and brightened his mood considerably. It was already well into the late afternoon.

"Are you packed and ready to go?" the blonde asked and Sora nodded.

"The moving guys already took everything away. I just have my luggage. Is it really okay if I stay with you?"

"I'm okay with it. Just don't turn my household inside out and I'll be satisfied."

"I'll try not to."

"Go to school or work. Or do both if it suits you, that's all I ask. Oh, and stay out of trouble of course."

"Okay."

"Did you even complete high school?" Roxas asked with a curious face. Sora shook his head.

"I'll have to either go back for a year or get my GED."

"Whichever you want, it's fine with me so long as you move forward."

"Yes, Roxas," Sora said and watched the grass with a blank face. Axel had nearly forgotten that the two were only a few days apart in physical age but Roxas was clearly light years ahead of the brunette in terms of mental development and maturity. The scene almost reminded him of a father chastising his son. Roxas went to sit at the small table near the door, away from the haze of cigarette smoke.

"Speaking of school, Axel," Roxas started and Axel raised his brows to show that he was listening. "Did you think about what you want to do?" The redhead nodded and snuffed his cigarette out on a root.

"Yeah, HBCC has my transcripts from when I graduated so I'll see what I can take when we get back and hopefully I can toss a schedule together before the spring semester starts."

"Fantastic. I'm happy," Roxas smiled. "Perhaps I'll join you."

"Why would you go to a community college if you could get into the university?" Axel quirked a brow.

"Because I've spent my entire life in a private school, that's why. The quality of education isn't all that different so long as you put effort into it. People spend the extra money on the atmosphere and the few extra amenities the universities offer but if I don't need that, then why not just go to HBCC?"

"Oh. Well okay," Axel said. He wondered why Roxas would even bother with higher education since he already had his company under his thumb. But then he remembered he was thinking about _Roxas_. Duh, of course he wants a degree.

"I wanna go," Sora huffed.

"You can if you can crank out a GED quick enough," Xigbar said. "The spring semester doesn't start for three weeks yet. They have accelerated courses that can get you done and you take the test after two weeks. It'd be a crunch but it's possible."

"Maybe," the brunette added and rocked a little in the swing. He tossed his forgotten cigarette into the grass beyond the tree. Xigbar did the same and went inside. Roxas moved across the grass and sat in the open swing.

"Don't force yourself to do more than you're comfortable with and set yourself up for failure. Take your time and ensure that you will succeed," the blonde said.

"When did you get so smart?" Sora asked.

"Sometime between now and when my grandfather died and I was forced to take responsibility for my future. You're actually in the same situation but you don't realize it."

"I guess so."

***

"Ugh I hate planes," Roxas said and hefted his carry on over his shoulder. Axel patted his head lightly and the blonde brushed his hand away. Zexion and Olette hugged each other tightly and were spitting nonsensical words to each other. Axel hiked a brow and watched the scene. The man seemed the most animated when around her and it was strange to see him show so much emotion. Sora giggled.

"I wonder when he'll go back to see his family," he said.

"What do you mean?" Axel asked.

"He and Olette are cousins. He hasn't seen his family since before he worked for my family years and years ago. Olette has been his only contact."

"Whoa, I didn't know that."

"You didn't hear that from me."

"Right," Axel confirmed and saw Xigbar in the distance talking to an attendant at the gate. Over to their side a flash went off and all three boys turned to see a reporter with an oversized camera readjusting for his next shot. Roxas immediately dug around in his carry on and pulled out a pair of sunglasses and pushed them on his face. Axel simply ignored it and Sora grinned.

"I almost want to go over and bug him," the brunette said.

"God damned cameras, you'd think they'd wait until we actually get on home soil before they start taking pictures," Roxas spat and readjusted his bag. Axel could sense he was grumpy. Weather it was from the reporter or the proposition of getting on a plane, he couldn't tell.

"You think it'll get way worse once we're at home?" the redhead asked.

"Oh yes. Much worse. I expect a call for a press conference."

"Why? You just went on a trip for relaxing and to take care of some stuff, why is it a big deal?"

"It's a long story. There are circumstances surrounding the 'earthquakes' that made everything a little fishy and one of my employees must have talked." The blonde used air quotes to emphasize his point, "I didn't say anything because I wanted you to relax a little but it's going to be something that I'll have to deal with." Sora cleared his throat.

"There's a reason we were in Greece, Axel," the brunette said. Roxas nodded. The redhead's jaw dropped.

"Then why the hell are you coming with us? If I had know—" the blonde cut him off.

"It wasn't Sora personally Axel so you can stop right there," he interjected. Axel furrowed his brows and looked at Sora who wore a blank yet contemplating face. He sighed, he really didn't understand and he tried to remember his mentality of 'I don't get it and I probably never will so why bother?' Then he remembered the empty shell of Sora's destroyed home and shivered a little. Xigbar caught up with them.

"Let's go, everyone," he said and everyone turned to Olette who was wiping at her eyes with a pink handkerchief.

"Come back soon! I will miss you all! It was very nice to meet you Axel, and Sora. I hope you will see me again," she said with a watery smile. "Send me e-mails and things. Find me on the FaceBook." She gave everyone firm hugs and kisses on either cheek just as she had greeted them and waved as they all headed for the gate. Sora sniffled.

"She was so nice," he said. Axel nodded.

"And really understanding of everything, that's a rare thing to find in someone anymore."

"I hate planes," Roxas reiterated causing both of them to laugh at him a little.

"You took your Dramamine right?" Xigbar asked and the blonde nodded. "Not that it helps any," he added and Roxas scoffed in agreement.

***

"C'mon Axel! Let's go join the mile high club together!" Sora squealed from the seat in front of the redhead. Roxas had his head in Axel's lap and the redhead was running his hand over his clammy forehead. The brunette seemed more hyper the higher in altitude they climbed and Axel thanked the airline gods that no one else was in the cabin with them aside from Zexion and Xigbar, of course.

"Go away Sora, I don't want to start that again," the redhead said and reclined back in his seat, sticking his ear buds in his ears. Roxas shifted uncomfortably and got up, making his way into the restroom for the third time. Sora giddily leapt over the back of the seat and plopped in the blonde's spot to lean on Axel.

"Pwease?" he asked with wide puppy-dog eyes. "Once Roxxy is done we can sneak off together for a secret tryst, it'll be romantic." Axel quirked a brow.

"No thanks, I'm good."

"Please?"

"No."

"I'll give you fifty bucks."

"You don't have any money; even if you did I would still say no."

"Aw come on!"

"No, go away."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to."

"It'll be fantastic, I promise."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Sora, be quiet," Zexion chided and the brunette's mouth dropped open. Axel snickered and turned on his MP3 player to drown out any more whining. He watched Sora sulk away into another seat. The redhead adjusted his position and closed his eyes. After about twenty minutes of sitting quietly he felt a weight on his thigh again and lifted his arm for Roxas to lay on him again. When he put his hand down to pet the blonde's hair he was met with wiry brown spikes instead and his eyes flew open. Sora giggled.

"You're so easy," he said with his tongue stuck out. Axel rolled his eyes and kicked his leg up to disturb him and Sora laughed as he sat up. Roxas came back and looked at them with furrowed brows. "Hi Roxxy."

"Hello Sora, get out of my seat please."

"M'kay," he said and moved away again. Roxas replaced himself on Axel's lap and the redhead settled back in his seat. Sora grasped the back of the seat in front of them and watched the pair with his eyes barely peeking over the leather. "You sure you don't want to take me up on my offer, Axel?" he asked and the redhead glared at him. A book came sailing across the cabin and collided with the side of Sora's face. He yelped in surprise and Zexion stood go retrieve the tome. Sora whimpered and held his cheek.

"I said be quiet," Zexion repeated and went back to his seat.

***

They sat together in the common area of the London airport. Their flight was delayed by several hours and everyone was exhausted already. Roxas wandered off with Zexion to see if they could find something to entertain everyone with and get the slate-haired man something to eat. Sora was poking away at Roxas' laptop.

"Did Roxas say you could use that?" Axel asked when he came back from the bathroom. Sora nodded.

"Yeah, I haven't perused the internet in like a billion years," the brunette said.

"A billion, huh?"

"Okay more like eight months. But that's close enou-- whoa," he said with wide eyes. He turned the computer so Axel could see. There was a picture of Namine showing off 'her new tattoo' on FaceBook. On the girl's pale hip there was a spiraling black tree with a bird in the center that made Axel's skin crawl and his blood curdle.

"Why the _fuck_ does she have that?" he growled. Sora closed the laptop quickly and set it aside. Ignoring the fact the he was in public, he stood and pulled up his shirt and tugged the top of his pants down. A few bystanders averted their eyes. The brunette had the same tree scrawled on his own hip and Axel's eyes flew wide.

"Riku got to Namine while we were gone," he said. Sora looked scared, which made the redhead feel a little better but didn't completely settle his anger or his nerves. Sora smoothed his clothes back into place.

"What does that mean?" he asked. Xigbar quirked a brow from his seat, listening intently but not adding anything to the conversation.

"She's working for him now or for Xemnas; one of the two," Sora answered and plopped heavily into his seat again, running his hands through his hair nervously. "This is bad. If she's with Riku he may just be using her for bait or something or to make babies with. But if she's working for Xemnas, that's even worse."

"Should we tell Roxas?"

"I'll do it," Xigbar said. The three of them sat together in a tense silence while Sora clicked around on the laptop again. About an hour passed at an agonizing pace before Roxas and Zexion returned to the group. Roxas sat on Axel's knees and leaned back against him in his arms.

"Aren't you worried about reporters?" Axel asked and nuzzled Roxas' hair. "Not that I mind, but I would think you'd care about that."

"They have to find out eventually," Roxas said with a shrug. Xigbar gave them the opportunity to enjoy each other's company for a few minutes before poking the blonde in the ribs and ushering him off to talk in private. Zexion raised a brow when they passed but didn't ask. Sora sighed heavily and Axel gave him a pat on the shoulder to calm him down.

"When we get on the plane and we have more room, will you hold me?" Sora asked with a tone of misery that made Axel furrow his brows together. He thought about what the brunette might be going through in his own little twisted world for a moment and nodded.

"I can do that for you, so long as Roxas doesn't mind," he said and Sora looked up at him with tortured eyes.

"Thanks."

***

Roxas was incredibly angry. He stalked around the cabin of the plane completely ignoring his air sickness. He still looked pale and sweaty to Axel but he wasn't sure of the reason this time; the anger or the illness? Sora was sitting in the redhead's lap tensely, watching the blonde pace.

"Sit down, Roxxy you're making me nervous."

"I hope for her sake she just decided to get a tattoo," he spat. "She better have a good reason for this bullshit."

"Killing is illegal outside of active militant combat, Roxas. Don't forget that," Xigbar said and crossed his arms. Zexion was silent but he didn't look pleased. Roxas' gaze flicked to him a moment before he stopped and held his stomach, leaning on a seat. He took a breath with closed eyes and Axel prepared himself to see Roxas vomit all over the carpeting, but was happy when he didn't.

"I'm going to have ulcers before we get home," Roxas muttered and made his way to the restroom. Sora sighed and grabbed onto a piece of his hair like a security blanket. He pulled his knees to his chest and leaned to the side to tuck himself under Axel's chin. The redhead didn't cuddle him like he would if he were Roxas but he rubbed the brunette's back a little to give him some reassurance. He felt bad for Sora. If what the blonde had said was true about the brunette's abandonment issues then this must be the last crack in the pillar holding Sora up. Riku was moving on without him, and as much as Axel was annoyed by the brunette on a consistent basis he felt that he deserved better; a little humility at the very least. Sora sniffled against his shirt.

"I'm scared, Axel," he whispered. "I don't know what to do."

"I don't think you should do anything but move forward with you life. What else _can_ you do, really?" The redhead shifted a little with a wince as one of the scabs on his back pinched under the added weight pushing him into the seat. They sat together until Roxas came out from the bathroom again and Sora sat up before they looked too cozy.

"Move over," Roxas ordered and Sora shifted around so Roxas could sit on Axel as well and the redhead grunted as his leg started to fall asleep. He shifted himself around so he sat Indian-style. The smaller boys entwined their legs together and sat with their bottoms in the pit Axel made with his limbs and each leaned a shoulder onto his chest. They pushed their foreheads together under the redhead's chin and curled their arms to their chests. Axel blinked at how surprisingly comfortable the positioning was and draped one arm around Roxas' waist and rubbed Sora's back absently with the other. They both sighed peacefully.

"I remember doing that when they were little," Xigbar quipped and Axel looked at him. Either they didn't care that the older man was talking about them or they didn't hear because neither boy made a sound of protest like Axel thought they would. "Whenever there was a thunderstorm at the Academy dormitories they would climb in bed with me and force me to hold them like that. Seeing it now that they've grown so much is really weird but it's still insanely cute, I should take a picture," he said with a grin and Zexion gave a little smile as he turned a page of his book. Roxas narrowed his eyes at the mention of a picture and Sora giggled.

***

"Rothath! I mithed oo tho muth!" Demyx exclaimed as he squeezed the blonde to his face, causing a slur. He dropped Roxas abruptly and went to throw himself on Axel who grunted under the force. "Athel!" he sputtered.

"Hi Demyx," the redhead croaked. He tried to give the sandy blonde a pat on the back or something that would equal a proper greeting but his arms were locked to his sides. Demyx gasped and held him at arms length.

"You've lost weight," he grumbled at the redhead with narrowed eyes and furrowed brows. Axel gave him a lopsided smile.

"Sorry? I didn't mean to."

"Demmy?" Sora piped from behind the redhead and Demyx's eyes flew wide and looked around him.

"Sora?" he asked. "Wh- why are you here?"

"It's a long story. I'm staying with Roxas and everyone for a bit," he said with a light blush. He looked at his feet. Axel watched Demyx's expression crumble from confusion to a watery smile as he moved to hug the brunette. Roxas watched them with a placid face. Xigbar and Zexion joined them, pulling a cart that held their luggage.

"My Zexxy!" Demyx squealed and collided into Zexion with so much force that the other man staggered backwards. "You brought him back in one piece!" He squeezed their faces together and Zexion hugged him tightly. Axel raised a confused brow at the two and Demyx pushed off Zexion and launched himself at Xigbar who caught him in his huge arms. "Xiggy! You got a little tan! How cute," he squeaked.

"Hey Dem," Xigbar said calmly and set the other man down.

"You're almost as bad as Sora," Roxas said to the sandy blonde and rubbed his ribcage. Sora giggled. Axel leaned over to talk to the blonde in a hushed tone.

"He said '_My_ Zexxy?'" he questioned.

"Don't you know that everyone belongs to Demyx?" Roxas said with a curt smile.

"Weird."

"Yes, quite." Roxas shuffled around in his bag for his sunglasses again. When they left the baggage claim together and emerged from the airport proper, they were suddenly surrounded by a mob of paparazzi, cameras ablaze. Axel and Sora squinted against the lights and Xigbar moved in front to lead the trio through the crowd. Demyx and Zexion tagged along behind the swarm with the luggage cart.

"God damn," Axel growled through the noise of rapid questions being fired a million a minute.

"I know right?" Sora said in agreement. Xigbar checked the parking tag for the lot number and they all followed the signs, keeping track of their feet so no one tripped on another's shoe in the tight cluster, keeping any trampling to a minimum. At some point in the mayhem, Zexion and Demyx had rounded to the front of the group with the cart and could be seen in the distance loading luggage into an enormous bright orange Hummer. Xigbar ushered the boys into the back and helped shove the rest of the suitcases in the back before leaping into the vehicle with them. Zexion sat in the front and Demyx slid into the driver's seat. Roxas let out a breath when the engine turned over and Demyx leaned out the window to yell at the reporters.

"Go away ya harpies!" the man chirped and switched gears, easing out slowly of the parking spot in order to let the people move out of the way. Axel slouched in his seat.

"I can barely see past the dots," he said and blinked a few times.

"Me too," Sora said and rubbed his eyes.

"You'll have to invest in a pair of Ray-Bans," Roxas said and pulled the frames off his face. "I should have warned you about that, sorry."

"Might have been useful, Roxxy," Sora said. The blonde shrugged. A moment of relieved silence passed before Axel could gather his thoughts enough to speak.

"People still drive these things?" he asked and Demyx smiled.

"Yeah, unfortunately they're shit in terms of fuel economy but get high marks in the 'get the hell out of my way Mr. Reporter' category. I can hear the birds dying around us already."

"Oh no, poor birdies," Sora said with furrowed brows, but then he giggled.

"Traffic and the snow are going to make this a long trip guys so catch a nap now while you can. There is much to talk about when we get home," Demyx warned and turned out of the parking lot.

***

Axel opened his eyes slowly when he heard a light whimper. Sora was looking out the window at the passing wreckage of what used to be his home. The redhead sleepily reached out a hand and patted his shoulder and the brunette sat back. It took Axel a yawn and a half to realize that they were minutes away from pulling into the manor. He tapped Roxas' arm and the blonde scrunched his face in protest but slowly woke up as well. Sora slid lower in his seat and huffed sadly. Xigbar and Zexion were still awake and the latter of the two was talking quietly to Demyx in the front. Axel couldn't hear what he was saying but he had an idea. Luxord and Marluxia were waiting outside of the front door with Alabaster when the group pulled in. They both startled when they saw Sora but continued to greet everyone exuberantly none the less. Axel shivered and squinted against the bright white of the ground cover.

"Fucking snow," he muttered and kicked at it though little damage was done.

"Where's Namine and mother?" Roxas asked his father. The other men were unloading the Hummer and Sora was off running through the snow with the dog.

"Well… your mother went to the bar with a couple of girlfriends. As for your sister, well there's been an incident I think you need to be aware of. Do you want to talk about it now or after you've taken a rest?" Luxord said with a solemn face. Roxas looked contemplative.

"Can I solve it right away or do I have the luxury of a nap?"

"It's not going to go away any time soon. You can deal with it tomorrow if you want."

"Fine. Then that's what I'll do."


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Roxas had woken up early the next morning. He left Axel and Sora in his bed and called his parents and his staff to the study. He paced back and fourth behind his desk, waiting for everyone to take a seat, and when they settled he pulled his glasses off his face and turned to them. He took a breath.

"I appreciate everyone's patience with me and the escapades that tend to follow me around. Especially you, Xigbar, you've been a great support for me. You four have all earned your bonuses this year can and expect them in your next paycheck," Demyx grinned and gave Marluxia a high-five. Roxas smiled a bit. "I ask for your continued support as we move forward for the coming year as there will be some… turbulence." Roxas moved to the side of his desk to a drawer and pulled out Axel's record and plopped it on the desk's surface. Everyone snapped to attention.

"As you all are aware at this point, Axel has a past. We only know the illegal end of it through his file but I don't know much more outside of that, and what has happened to his parents." He took a shuddering breath and Larxene opened her mouth to make a comment but he held up his hand and she closed it. "We all know that he had a problem with heroin a little over a year ago and while he went to treatment and got better, there was a snag in Greece that started his addiction again. Before you can jump to conclusions, he did not have a relapse on his own. Riku forced it on him." Roxas gave Xigbar and Zexion a hard look telling them that this was the story they were going with. Sora was not involved. "He seemed to be responding well to treatment again in Greece but now that he's here and on his own turf, it's a whole new ball game.

Axel is not to have any cash, and is not to use the phones for any reason unless he has supervision. I've taken his Blackberry from him as per his request and I called the phone company to have all outside calls be dialed through the new extension #813. I have also disconnected the phone in his bedroom. He and Sora are _not_ to be told this extension until I say so. He says he will be going back to school at HBCC and I commend him for that. At the same time, I will be going with him to keep an eye on things until I feel comfortable enough to let him go it alone. I am of the firm belief that Axel's old crowd will run into him at school or around it in some way so it's best to there for it. I just hope I can distract him enough from his vices."

"What about the company?" Luxord interjected before Roxas could stop him.

"The company has run itself for over ten years since grandfather died. I think it'll be fine for a while."

"You don't trust him?"

"I don't trust him with material things yet, no. He doesn't trust himself with them either."

"How can you be with him then?"

"I trust him with myself, that is enough for now," Roxas swallowed thickly at hearing himself say those words. Larxene scrunched up her nose.

"Do you love him?" she jabbed.

"There is so much flying around the both of us I can't tell between pity, obligation, generosity, and affection. So I cannot answer that yet."

"I still want grandchildren," she huffed and crossed her arms under her bosom.

"That's not for many years yet, mother don't worry about that now." Roxas took another breath and gathered his thoughts together before speaking again. "I managed to pull Sora out of Riku's hands; there is no need for any more detail than that. He will be staying with us until he feels comfortable enough to be on his own. The same rules apply to Sora that apply to Axel. No money, no phones. He has yet to decide on weather he wants to complete his last year at the Academy or if he wants to skip right into getting his GED but either way he will be returning to school in some form. I will offer him a job at the hotel here in town but I don't think it's a good idea to encourage him to do anything other than that where he is away from our eyes. If he happens to find work elsewhere, then that's fine, but the offer will stand and I think he will follow the path of least resistance in that respect.

I do not know where his alliance lies. He seems disturbed by Riku's actions and the fact that Namine is on his side so he may be faltering away from them but I cannot say for sure. I don't trust him yet so it's best to keep him close. He has proved himself a valuable source of information so far and seems genuinely concerned about the hurt he has caused people in the past but again, I'm not sure. If Sora or Axel want to leave for whatever reason, I want someone to drop what they're doing and go with them. If they ask for anything that they need, go ahead and buy it for them within reason. Demyx, Marluxia please continue to keep Axel occupied with things around the house and get Sora involved if you can. Zexion, I want you to watch Sora. Xigbar, you're my eyes for Axel." Each of them nodded in understanding of their assignments and Roxas rubbed his head, trying to think through his oncoming headache.

"Riku, or more appropriately, Xemnas attacked our buildings in Greece. We blamed it on an earthquake but the fact is the authorities found C4 residue on the support pillars on some levels. Saïx is apparently out of work and getting rusty in his techniques, which is the only reason I can give for the buildings not being totally obliterated. Lexaeus is also with them, though he's acting more like a guard than anything else," the blonde sighed and sat in his chair with a '_thump_.' "That's really all the information we have, no trace was left behind otherwise outside of what we already know about them and conjecture isn't going to build us a Federal case. Any questions?"

"What do you want for breakfast?" Demyx asked with a smile.

"I'll take my coffee in here, thank you."

"There was an offer put in on Axel's mother's house," Luxord chimed. Roxas blinked, he had forgotten about that.

"If he accepts the amount, I'll go ahead and sell it for him and put the money away. He can use that when he needs to after everything calms down."

"How long do you think it'll take for him to gain your trust?" Larxene asked.

"I'm not sure. I'll keep an eye out for the right time though and I'll get back to you on that."

"What about his Christmas present?" she asked. "Doesn't that defy pretty much everything you just told us?"

"Which is why I asked for anyone who's available to drop what they're doing and go with them if they want to leave for whatever reason. Obviously don't take him to his dealer or whatever but if he wants to go out for coffee, he has that freedom. As does Sora. Too and from school, will also be escorted so don't stress so much on getting menial chores done if you have to drive them, I can also help with that too now that I think about it. Anything else?" They all looked amongst one another and no one had anything to add. "Fine then. Father, tell us what's going on with Namine please."

"Oh," Luxord deadpanned. He cleared his throat. Demyx fidgeted in his seat. "It was a little after we got your test scores in the mail that Namine started to get sick. She started to vomit a lot and was missing a lot of school. Then she started to act really out of control and came home sporting a new tattoo, and about three new piercings. Which was fine until she brought Riku over a few times; we had his escorted off the premises. She was so angry that she started screaming and having a tantrum. She was throwing things and screaming so much we had her taken away too. She ended up in the hospital after trying to commit suicide by hanging herself and the doctors tested her blood to see if she was on any drugs, which she was. They also found out that she's four months pregnant," Luxord finished and crossed his arms over his chest. Larxene shifted uncomfortably and her chin started to quiver as her eyes filled with tears. Xigbar watched Roxas and Zexion looked at the carpet. Demyx and Marluxia sighed.

"Where is she now?" Roxas asked with a calm voice.

"She's living at the Institute."

"Good. Keep her there," he said and blinked slowly in thought. He moved his seat forward to lean on his desk. He chewed on the inside of his lip a little. "Riku is the father I assume?" Luxord took a breath and rubbed his chin a little. His hesitation gave Roxas a hard feeling in his gut.

"She says Xemnas is," he said finally and Larxene burst into hysterical sobs. She collapsed onto Luxord's lap and the man rubbed her back with a pained face. Xigbar's jaw dropped.

"The man has to be in his fifties what the fuck was she thinking!?" he yelled. Roxas put a hand up.

"Xigbar, please," he said quietly and held his face in his hands. He sighed. "I almost saw this coming but with Riku, not his father. Has Xemnas made any contact at all?"

"No," Luxord said. "We have no idea if he knows anything, or if Riku does for that matter."

"How long is she going to stay at the Institute?"

"They haven't cleared her yet. But she's free to walk after they do. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet, honestly. I want to tell Xemnas. I want to see what he plans to do and what Riku does. If they toss her to the wayside like they have Sora, then I may be swayed to take her back if she renounces them. But otherwise, I'll have to wash my hands of her. Is there a law against forced abortions?" he asked almost jokingly.

"Yes there is," Luxord said with a sarcastic smile. "I've already considered that one." Larxene let out a heaving bawl into Luxord's thighs and the man ran a hand over his face.

"I need to call Xaldin," Roxas said. "You're all excused if there is no further business. Demyx, I'll take my coffee black, as usual."

***

Axel felt a weight against his back and he reached a hand behind him and hit a warm fleshy leg. Sora giggled.

"You're so crunchy," the brunette said and ran a finger over his scabs lightly. He winced a little. He sat up and looked around for Roxas. The blonde was no where in sight. He took a bleary moment to wake himself fully and noticed he didn't feel absolutely terrible with jet lag. He itched his arm a little and Sora sat up with a wide smile. "Good morning snuggle bunny," he chirped. Axel looked at him and put a hand over the brunette's face and shoved him away. Sora whined as he rolled across the bed dramatically.

"Don't spoon me like that creeper," he grumbled and flung his legs over the side of the bed and headed for Roxas' bathroom. The concealer on his neck was fading a little from having being worn for so long and he hoped Sora wouldn't notice the bruises peeking out. He relieved himself and splashed some water on his face before bypassing the brunette again and heading out and down the hall to his own bedroom. He surprised Marluxia who was putting away his things.

"Why hello sweet pea," the rosy man said with a smile. "Sleep well?"

"Mhm," Axel hummed and looked around for his toothbrush. It was already in the bathroom. He made sure the concealer was in there as well before hopping into the shower. He went about his business and by the time he was finished Marluxia was gone, so he could get dressed. Afterwards, he took a detour to check on his hermit crabs. Everyone was alive and well, and Axel took a moment to watch them scuttle about lazily before replacing the old worn wooden house he gave them for the one Olette had given him for Christmas. He smiled a little at the memories. Then he remembered Roxas still owed him a present.

The blonde was nowhere to be seen. Axel ate some breakfast, smoked, and said hello to everyone before wandering the house aimlessly looking for his counterpart. He didn't want to jump the boy and demand his gift but he hoped that Roxas would remember and just offer it. He was far too curious about it for his own good. The study was void of life as was the theater. On his way back up the hall, he heard a pounding coming from behind the closed door of the gym. He pushed the door open slowly and peeked inside.

Roxas was dressed in his jersey shorts and a t-shirt with his hands taped up and balled into fists. Xaldin was standing behind a punching bag, holding it steady while the blonde wailed on it with precision. Axel quirked an eyebrow and watched the blonde, who had an extremely rage-filled face, punch the bag so hard that the man holding it grunted and furrowed his brows together. Xaldin spoke to the boy in a low voice and Roxas realigned himself before starting again. He went a few more rounds with the bag before he let out a loud yell and kicked it abruptly.

"Fuck! Why does she have to be such a disgusting whore?!" Roxas screamed at it. Xaldin stepped off to the side and handed the blonde a bottle of water calmly, ignoring his outburst.

"Why do you think I'm a whore?" Axel called from the doorway, hoping to make the blonde smile a little. The smaller boy whirled on him in surprise, with the bottle still pressed to his lips and large eyes.

"You weren't supposed to hear that," he said.

"Well I did. By 'she' I assume you're talking about either your mother, or your sister. Which is it?"

"Namine."

"What'd she do?"

"She's in the Institute."

"Really? She on something?"

"Coke, apparently. She's also pregnant," Roxas capped the bottle and ran the condensation over his forehead. Axel gaped at him and came inside the gym.

"Whoa. Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Riku?"

"Xemnas."

"What?!" Axel yelped. He felt sick to his stomach as his eggs threatened to come back up. He sputtered, "oh god that's gross. Wh-I don't even… what? How is that even physically possible? Isn't he like… old?"

"He is. To be a father again anyway."

"What are you going to do?"

"If she refuses an abortion and wants to stay here, I will not accept her. She can stay with them for all I care," Roxas huffed and picked up a towel and wiped his neck and face. He started to undo the tape from his hands with a glare.

"How far along is she?"

"Four months."

"Wow."

"Yep."

"Angry?"

"Furious."

"Call me again when you need me. I'm going to head out Rox," Xaldin said and hefted his duffel bag over his shoulder. The blonde nodded as he went past.

"Anything I can do for you?" Axel asked.

"Take care of your own things so I can focus on what I need to do."

"Okay but what about the short term?"

"Unless you're willing to take a punch so I can see some blood, nothing."

"Bloodlust, huh? That's different."

"I'm seeing red, to say the least."

"I'm red," Axel said with a grin, "do you see me?"

"Yes," the blonde said and gave him a small smile. "I need to shower."

"Okay. Want me to join you?"

"I need some time to myself if you don't mind."

"M'kay. I'll be around if you need me."

"Don't go too far, I still have a gift to give you."

Axel grinned. "Sure thing."

***

There was low rumble that sounded like wheels on stone. Axel froze and tried to figure out where it was coming from but the echo was proving to be quite a foe. Suddenly, Marluxia zoomed around the corner on a pair of roller blades with a laundry basket tucked under his arm. He waved to Axel with a smile as he rolled past. He stopped at the stairs and clattered up them before pushing off down the upstairs hall.

_I'm almost afraid to ask_, Axel thought to himself. He blinked a few times and shook his head before continuing through the entryway and down towards the kitchen. Demyx was talking with Sora at the countertop. The both looked up and smiled at Axel when he entered.

"Do you like fish?" Demyx asked.

"I like shellfish, yes. I've not had too many kinds of actual fish though," Axel responded and made his way to the refrigerator for something to drink. "I don't think frozen fish sticks count towards what you're asking."

"Yuck, no. They don't."

"I _love_ fish sticks, holy crap," Sora said. Demyx stuck out his tongue in disgust.

"Why was Marluxia on roller blades?" Axel asked. He twisted off the cap of a bottle of iced tea and took a taste. He shrugged at it. He had had better.

"It was Luxord's idea. We were bitching about how huge the house is and he was all like, 'it's mostly made of marble, you guys could just roll around on skates or something to cut down on walking,' and he was totally right. It cuts out like two hours out of the work day. We tried it when you guys were gone so Roxas couldn't yell at us. He hasn't noticed yet. So shh…" he shushed with a finger to his lips. Axel smirked.

"Aww, now I want to go ice skating," Sora said, looking off into the distance.

"That sounds fun, when I have a minute I could totally take you."

"Yeah?"

"Ch'yeah!"

"Awesome! Wanna come, Axel?"

"Ice is dangerously close to snow," the redhead huffed. Sora giggled.

"Axel gets grumpy when he's cold," Demyx said with a wink.

"I wonder if Roxxy will want to come," Sora said.

"I don't know. You can ask him and let me know. I need to get lunch together."

"Okie-dokie. Come on Axel, let's go find Roxxy," the brunette urged and made his way to the door.

"He's in the shower," Axel said.

"Even better, let's go jump him."

"You can. He's spitting venom right now. I like my limbs attached."

"Why? He's angry? What for?"

"Let's get out of Demyx's way and I'll tell you."

***

"Oh Namine," Sora said and exhaled a combination of cigarette smoke and steam. Axel pushed a clump of snow around with his foot and took another drag. The brunette pushed his scarf a little higher up his neck when a gust of wind kicked up and Axel squinted against the pattering snowflakes that collided with his skin. He sighed.

"I almost want to go see her so I can punch her in the gut," the redhead said.

"Killing babies is bad, Axel."

"Killing demon spawn is okay though. The Bible probably encourages it somewhere."

"You really think Roxas will force her to get an abortion? I'm not sure if I would support him in that," Sora furrowed his brows together. Axel shrugged.

"I understand why he would encourage her to get one but he can't force it on her legally."

"She could just give it up for adoption. There's no need to slaughter it."

"It takes two signatures to put a kid up for adoption, Sora. Xemnas would never go for it."

"I bet he would if it turns out to be a girl."

"I didn't think about that. You have a point."

"Roxas would make a great uncle if the circumstances were a little better," Sora added with a light blush. He snuffed his cigarette out in Axel's long lost frozen stone buddy. "I wonder what would happen if she ended up keeping it and it was a girl. Xemnas would probably toss her out like he did with his other wives for giving him daughters. You think Roxas would accept her then?"

"I have no idea. He might. Personally, if it were me, I'd never talk to her again but I don't exactly have anything to go off of. I don't have any siblings. I don't know that bond."

"Yeah. It's ah…pretty strong," Sora said and sniffled against his dripping nose a little.

"Sorry, didn't mean to bring up a sore subject."

"It's okay." They shared an uncomfortable silence between them before the back door opened and Roxas emerged in his puffy blue ski jacket. He was pulling on a pair of gloves and looked to the pair with a raised brow.

"Oh good, you're already outside."

"I'm not going out there," Axel motioned out to the yard and the two feet of snow. Sora giggled.

"I will, Roxxy," he offered. The redhead snuffed his cigarette out.

"Well I need to give Axel his Christmas present. But he has to earn it."

"Doesn't that defeat the purpose?" Axel asked with a light glare.

"Christmas presents are privileges, remember?" Sora added with a giggle. The redhead huffed.

"Fine. What do you want me to do?"

"Build a snowman with us," Roxas said and adjusted his scarf. His nose was already turning pink from the cold. Sora squealed and took off for the white. He began trudging though the powder, making a path. Roxas walked to the redhead and pulled him down by his shirt to give him a warm kiss before heading after Sora. Axel blinked a few times and sighed, resigning himself to his fate.

"The things I do for cute blondes," he said and Roxas laughed.

"I know right!?" Sora called a short distance away. He was pushing a pile of snow together and patting it in place. Axel dug into the pockets of his jacket for his gloves. When he pulled them out a piece of yellow paper fluttered out and landed on the snow. He picked it up and turned it over questioningly. A lump jumped into his throat when he saw the name and phone number scrawled across it and he was reminded of a bunch of things he didn't want to remember.

Needles, gravel driveways and messy bedrooms. Callused hands against his skin and a pinprick, euphoria. He felt the hairs on his arms stand up under his sweater and his hands began to sweat despite the temperature. He took a shuddering breath before crumpling the paper in his hand and stuffing it back into his pocket. He tried his best to focus on the blonde ahead of him and he pulled on his gloves roughly as he shuffled through the white.

"Are you okay? You look pale," Roxas asked with a careful tone when the redhead reached them. Axel stuck his hands in the snow and started to shove it around onto the growing mound.

"I'm always pale," he grumbled.

"You know what I mean."

"Don't worry about it, I'm fine."

"If you hate it so much out here you don't _have_ to be here."

"Yes he does," Sora interjected.

"No, he really doesn't," Roxas spat back.

"I'm fine. Seriously," Axel said. When they packed together a large enough wad of snow for the base they began building up the middle section. Axel's fingers were already frozen and they started to hurt when he bent them. The longer he stayed outside, focusing on the cold and how much he hated it, the longer he could have peace of mind. He had an itch in the back of his head he couldn't shake and when he knew once he was inside and comfortable again his thoughts would wander. He started to build a mental list of things he needed to do while he patted the snow down firmly. Figure out his gift, get school stuff put together, make an appointment with Vexen, punch Namine, help Demyx fix dinner, maybe go ice skating with Sora and Roxas. Lather, rinse and repeat. Sora shivered.

"Gah, my balls are in my ribcage, it's so cold," the brunette sputtered.

"Really now? How does that feel?" Roxas asked calmly with a small smile.

"Really really weird."

"I would hope so. They're not supposed to go _that_ high."

"Yeah well, I'm not sure I can stay out here much longer, guys," he admitted. Axel and Roxas nodded in agreement. They left their snowman half finished and trekked their way through the tundra. Once inside, Axel shook the powder from his hair and the two smaller boys followed suit. Roxas didn't seem very effected by the cold other than the pink in his face. Sora on the other hand, shared the same attitude as Axel this time around and rubbed his hands over his arms, shivering. "I wanna go back to Greece," he whined.

"Too bad," Roxas said and patted Sora on the shoulder. Demyx came wheeling down the hallway and stopped to pick up the trio's gloves, scarves and jackets before pushing off and rolling towards the laundry room to hang them up. Roxas quirked a brow at the man's roller blades but didn't say anything. Axel itched his arm and pulled on a piece of hair to distract himself.

***

Axel couldn't see. Roxas had blindfolded him and lead him around the house in circles to confuse him. Sora followed them closely but protested when Roxas had pulled the redhead into a room and closed the door behind them before the brunette could enter. It was significantly cooler in the room and Axel's skin broke out in goosebumps. He felt a little suspicious but felt Roxas' hand in his again and he was lead around several places before his arm was pushed forward and his hand landed on something large and cold.

"Okay," Roxas said and Axel nudged his blindfold up.

"Holy shit Roxas. This is too much," he croaked. His hand was laying the hood of a gleaming silver 2011 Lexus LFA. It was even parked in its own spot in the immense garage.

"You think? I don't thing so," the blonde said with his hand under his chin thoughtfully. Axel was quickly finding it hard to breathe. His mind reeled under the thought of how much it must have cost and he laid a hand on his forehead.

"I-I can't accept this, it's _way_ too much," he repeated and furrowed his brows.

"Sure you can. It's just a car," Roxas insisted. He dug in his back pocket for his wallet and pulled out a piece of plastic and handed it to the redhead. It was an insurance card. Axel set it on the hood and gathered the blonde in a firm hug.

"I don't deserve something so expensive, Roxas. Seriously, I'd feel weird taking this," he laid his cheek against the boy's blonde spikes and heaved a shuddering sigh. It did nothing to calm his nerves.

"Why do you say that? You gave me something equally as valuable for Christmas."

"I… not really. You can't some compare them. This is totally different."

"Not to me," Roxas said and hugged Axel back. The redhead swallowed thickly and looked down the length of vehicle, taking it in. He didn't trust himself with so much freedom. Having the ability to come and go as he pleased now with his own car instead of having someone drive him places scared him; it was only reinforcing the issues he was combating in the back of his mind. Roxas lifted his head to look up at him, "why are you shaking?" The redhead hadn't realized he was.

"I don't trust myself," he said in a weak voice. His skin was starting to itch already. He closed his eyes and shook his head. Roxas grabbed his face and pulled it down to look him in the eyes.

"I know you don't which is why I'm keeping the keys. Just tell me when you want to go somewhere and I'll go with you." Roxas gave him a reassuring smile. Axel swallowed again and nodded.

"I want to go somewhere," he said.

"Where?"

"I need to make an appointment with Vexen. I lied when I said I was okay earlier. I'm having a rough time right now," Axel watched Roxas, to gauge his reaction. When the blonde didn't get angry and toss him aside like a piece of rubbish, he settled some. He stooped a little and rested his forehead on the smaller boy's shoulder and Roxas combed his fingers through his mane. The itching receded some under the blonde's touch and Axel held onto his small frame with limp hands.

"I'll get my coat."

***

"I see," Vexen said and jotted a few notes on his pad of paper. He folded his hands on his lap when he was finished. "Did you want to reinstate yourself at the Institute?" Axel shifted on the man's couch. Today was technically Vexen's day off but the doctor was willing to see the redhead at his home. Roxas was across the house in the living room while the pair were in the den. Vexen's enormously fat orange tabby was kneading himself into Axel's gut and it was a sensation he was having a hard time ignoring.

"I really don't. If I can get on methadone again I think I'll be fine. I'll come back and see you regularly though. I need it. I haven't really dealt with everything very well in terms of getting it all out and moving on. I've just been ignoring it."

"I'm glad you can recognize that. I'll call the clinic and give them your file. In the meantime, what can I do to help you?" Vexen eyed his cat, "did you want me to remove him?"

"No, he's okay. I'm just used to Pearl, Roxas' cat. She's much smaller. What do you feed this thing?" The tabby let out a thundering purr as it settled on Axel. The redhead ran a finger under its chin.

"By the looks of him I'd say he's had at least a few populations of people in addition to a few small countries. Maybe an SUV or six."

"Yeah," Axel agreed. "What do you think I should do?"

"I think you should keep the people you trust close to you and distract yourself with as much as you can. School is a good idea, maybe another job as well in addition to helping around Roxas' home. Don't let yourself sit idly and think too much until you're prepared to face everything and when you are, you're welcome to visit me any time. You know where I live now," Vexen said with a smile. "Just don't let the clinic know."

"Right," the redhead said and reciprocated his smile with his own. They've had such a long history together that Vexen trusted Axel enough to invite him over in his time of need. That's saying something in how dedicated the man was to his work, or Axel. Whichever. If the clinic was to become aware of this meeting Vexen could very well lose his job and the redhead didn't want that. The other man went to his desk and rattled around some papers before pulling out another pad and scribbling across it. He tore off the top sheet and handed it to the redhead.

"Take that to the front desk and they'll get you started again."

"Thanks."

"It's not a problem. Call me if you need me, I'll see you again next week."

***

Larxene squinted at Roxas from across the dinner table. The blonde didn't notice and ate another spoonful of soup. She squinted harder and watched her son eat carefully. Luxord nudged her and gave her a look like 'what the hell are you looking at crazy?' She motioned towards their son and Luxord joined her in the squinting. At this point, Roxas was aware of their staring and waved at them lightly.

"Can I help you?" he asked them and they sat back in their seats.

"Open your mouth," Larxene demanded.

"No. Why should I?"

"Because you got your tongue pierced that's why," she said with slotted eyes. Axel shrunk a little in his seat, pushing his glass of water to his lips and watched the interaction. Sora stifled his giggles with a piece of bread.

"Well if you already noticed, I don't need to show you then."

"What's the big deal, love?" Luxord asked.

"It's disgusting," she huffed.

"Now wait a minute," the father said and slid his own barbell in between his lips. Axel's eyes widened a little. Larxene blushed and looked away. "That's a little hypocritical wouldn't you say?" he added. She muttered something under her breath. "What's that?" Luxord asked and cupped a hand to his ear with a smile.

"You're not… you know."

"I'm not what?"

"She means you're not sucking dick, father," Roxas blurted with a smug smile. Axel snorted and slammed his glass onto the table. He started to cough as the liquid spread to all manner of tubes and places it didn't need to go. Sora burst into laughter and Larxene tuned bright red. "It's only disgusting if you're gay, isn't that right mother?"

"I'll be quiet," she huffed and took a swig of her wine. Luxord went back to his dinner with a toothy grin, trying to hold back his laughter. Axel was absolutely mortified at the outburst and slouched in his chair so low his eyebrows barely peeked over the surface of the table. He wasn't hungry anymore.

***

"There was an offer on your mother's house," Roxas called over his shoulder as he buttoned his pajama top on the other side of Axel's bedroom. The redhead was spread across his bed, staring up at the ceiling and waiting for the blonde. He blinked a bit but didn't move to sit up and look at him. His heart sunk a little at the proposition of actually saying goodbye to the little yellow bungalow. It would be closing a very big door for him on a part of his life that was officially over. He wasn't sure how he felt.

"Oh yeah? How much?"

"Two fifty-three."

"That's not much under what we're asking for it."

"Nope."

"Any other offers or just the one?"

"That's the only one. They're not even asking for a house inspection."

"Ooo. What's your opinion?"

"I think it's a good deal, you know, so long as they finances line up right and everything. I think you should go for it." Roxas crossed the room and crawled onto the bed and leaned over the redhead with a small smile. "Are you okay with that?" Axel nodded.

"It'll give me some closure and I can start the healing process officially. Or rather, that's what Vexen would say and I kind of agree with him. We can call the realtor tomorrow." Roxas searched his face for any sign of hesitancy before nodding in agreement and leaning down to kiss Axel on his forehead. The redhead smiled a little. "Will you hang onto the money for me?"

"Of course. I'll set up an account with my bank for you."

"Thanks." He pushed himself up to settle back on his elbows. "Can you do me a favor that's kind of gross?" he asked.

"Sure?" Roxas responded with a quirked brow.

"Can you put some lotion on my back?"

"Oh. Yeah, let me get some," Roxas looked a little relieved that all he would have to do was touch the redhead's scabs instead of doing something more disgusting of which he couldn't even fathom. He retrieved a small bottle of lotion from the bathroom. Axel sat up and pulled his hair over his shoulder. Roxas was careful not to put too much pressure on the area as he smoothed a generous amount of the glop across the redhead's skin. They both jumped in surprise when Axel's door flew open and Sora came sprinting into the room.

"Tally ho!" the brunette squealed as he vaulted over Axel's footboard and landed face first into the comforter. He swung his arms like he was doing the breaststroke and pushed himself across the fabric with his feet until he plowed into the mound of pillows at the headboard. The pair steadied themselves into position again after the mattress settled.

"Don't you know how to knock?" Axel asked. His back twitched when Roxas spread another portion of lotion on him.

"Ooo, is it massage time?" Sora asked, ignoring the redhead's question entirely.

"No," Roxas said.

"Aw. Why not? I'm crispy too."

"I'll put some lotion on you but I'm not massaging you. That's what Marluxia is for."

"Ah, glad to see you stick to your job description, Roxxy," Sora quipped and burrowed into the pillows and started to mound them on himself so he was barely visible.

"What are you doing?" Axel asked him and the brunette giggled.

"I'm not sure, actually."

"There," Roxas said and capped the bottle. Axel let his hair fall back into place and grimaced when he felt some of the longer strands get stuck in the film. He moved across the bed and lay on his stomach to let some of the residue dry up. Sora ripped off his shirt quickly and plopped in front of Roxas for his turn. The blonde wasn't as ginger with the brunette as he had been for Axel and opened the bottle again and held it directly over Sora's back and squeezed a stream directly on his skin instead of letting it warm in his hands. Axel snickered as the brunette arched his back with a gasp.

"Oh god cold!" he squealed. Roxas poked him a little to settle down and rubbed it in as quickly as he could and capped the bottle again. "That was hardly enjoyable Roxxy," he whined. He pulled his shirt back over his head, not caring about it sticking to his skin.

"Sorry?"

"You better be," he growled with a little glare.

"Oh, you're so threatening Sora," Roxas said sarcastically and rolled his eyes. He left the bed to return the bottle to the bathroom. The brunette tunneled back under the pillows but lifted the covers and continued his journey under them as well. He eventually ran into Axel who made no effort to move out of the way. When he came back, the blonde lifted a corner of the blankets and looked under before following in. Sora giggled and the two lumps moved around nonsensically and Axel shook his head. Eventually the redhead left the bed to close the door and turn off the light. He slid under the covers on his stomach and left his back exposed to the open air. Roxas settled next to him and draped an arm over the small of his back. Sora quickly became bored with his adventures and curled up behind the blonde and they all heaved a comforting sigh together.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

A few days later and Axel was feeling okay. Walking through the dining room for breakfast was becoming a deathtrap for him, though. It was either Alabaster or Sora hidden somewhere on the floor for him to trip on and this particular morning was no different.

"What the hell are you doing _now_?" he barked after catching himself.

"It's warm," Sora said simply like it explained everything. He was sitting in front of the heater duct at the bottom of the wall with his shirt pulled up in the back. Pearl was curled up beside him. "I had to try it once I saw the kitty."

"Go light a fire somewhere. There's like twenty fireplaces, do you have to sit right where everyone is walking?"

"Pearl does it."

"She's a cat."

"Which brings up my point from a couple weeks ago about people imitating animals and being yelled at for it. I'll just have to find my ears from like three Halloweens ago and I'll be good then right?"

"You'l—you have cat ears?"

"Why? Did you want to see kawaii neko-chan Sora?" he squealed and held his face between his hands with rosy cheeks. "Axel you're such a beast. I didn't know you were into that." Axel sighed.

"Why do I even bother?" he grumbled and stalked off for the kitchen. Sora giggled at him and quickly caught up.

"Cloud's coming for a visit," he chirped.

"Oh yeah? I barely remember what the guy looks like."

"Yeah, I know right? I've seen him all of like four times. Roxas invited him after we got back and he'll be here tonight apparently. He's bringing his girlfriend or whatever she is." All Axel remembered about Tifa was giant breasts. He hoped she was nothing like Larxene and liked to smash people's faces into them; he feared for his windpipe.

"Have you met her?"

"Nope."

"She has _really_ big boobs."

"Milk cannons! Kapow!" Sora jabbed as they walked into the kitchen. Demyx gave them a scared look.

"Milk cannons?" he asked with a timid smile. "Are we shooting cows?"

"We were talking about Cloud's girlfriend," the brunette said.

"Ah yes. Tifa. She's a nice lady," Demyx quipped. "According to the list Roxas gave me," he held up a piece of paper, "she coincidentally likes melon in her fruit salad. I thought that was fitting." Axel snickered.

"That's great," he said "he gave you a list of foods they like?"

"Of course. Whenever we have specific guests stay here, that's the way we do it. Even before Roxas was in charge."

"He didn't ask me what I liked," Sora huffed. Axel almost agreed with him, he then remembered he was a pretty impromptu guest for the most part and is now part of the house so it didn't matter.

"That's because I remembered," Demyx said with a wink. Sora giggled.

"Oh you," the brunette said and batted playfully at the man with a flick of his wrist. Axel wondered what Cloud's favorite color was because someone else was probably up in a spare bedroom right now fixing it up accordingly. The two boys sat on a pair of stools and Demyx served them some breakfast. They ate quickly and Axel left Sora behind to go find Roxas, who was of course, in his study. He was still in his pajamas with his glasses and a coffee mug sitting at the corner of his desk.

"Morning," Axel said as he sat in the wingback chair.

"Good morning," Roxas responded, not taking his eyes off the computer screen.

"Why is Cloud visiting?" he asked curiously.

"Because I invited him."

"Just because?"

"Mostly. Also because mother is still hysterical over Namine and I'm too homosexual to give her any solace. She listens to Cloud better than anyone. Plus, I haven't been able to talk to him properly in years."

"Oh. Okay," Axel added and looked around the study to see if anyone was on the ladders cleaning the bookshelves. He itched his arm and swallowed thickly when he saw no one else around. "Can you go with me to the clinic?" he asked sheepishly.

"Sure, give me a few to get dressed," Roxas said and clicked a few things on the screen before pulling his glasses off his face and setting them on the desk. Axel nodded and went to get himself together as well.

***

Black and red was all Axel could see when he rounded the corner into the spare bedroom. With the exception of the walls, carpeting, and furniture frames, everything was black and red. In the time it took for Roxas and Axel to go to the clinic and come back, Marluxia and Zexion had completely customized the bedroom in every manner possible. Roxas entered and looked around with a thoughtful face.

"Do you think there's a florist open in the winter?" the blonde asked, eyeing an empty vase.

"I think I can find one, what did you want?" Marluxia asked.

"Roses. Black and red," the blonde added and pulled out his wallet. He handed the rosy man a wad of cash and he made his way out.

"Be back in a few," he called behind him. Zexion smoothed out the wrinkles on the comforter and looked around as well.

"I think I would like it better if it was blue and black. Instead of the red. I see a lot of red," the slate-haired man said giving Axel a small smile.

"Was that a joke?" Axel asked, grinning.

"It was."

"It was terrible."

"I agree."

"I like red," Roxas added. Zexion went to leave and patted Roxas' shoulder as he passed him.

"I know you do," he said quietly and exited. Axel smiled and went over to wrap his arms around the boy. He rubbed his face in his blonde fluff.

"I like blonde."

"Good because hair dye is for women and gay guys," Roxas quipped. Axel laughed. He stood straight again and took another look around the room.

"It's all very 'rock star' don't you think?" he asked. Roxas shrugged.

"I suppose. But Cloud likes black and Tifa likes red."

"Apparently Tifa also likes blondes."

"I would assume so."

"Who's Cloud's dad?"

"Some nameless man that my mother was married to briefly. I've never met him."

"Huh. It's sort of weird to think that your family actually started before you. Kind of makes me wish I had an older sibling, even if they were a half-sibling or whatever."

"Well, you can have my sister," Roxas added with a smirk.

"No thanks. I don't need that ball of crazy."

"Neither do I, really." The two of them walked out of the room together and down the stairs towards the study.

"I hear you on that one. When do you think she'll be cleared to come home?"

"From what we gather she's making 'progress' so maybe within the week? Hopefully Cloud will still be here for when she returns."

"How long is he staying?"

"He's welcome to stay as long as he wants but he said he shouldn't be away from work any longer than two weeks."

"I'm sure she'll be released before then."

"Maybe. If we're lucky she'll go insane again and they'll have to keep her."

"You really don't like her, do you?"

"Not right now I don't," the blonde sighed and sat behind his desk. He wheeled back to pull out his laptop and handed it to Axel. The redhead took it and draped himself across the chair again and waited for it to boot up.

"But you did at one point?"

"We have an odd cyclical relationship. We're fine for a while then she'll do something to throw a wrench in it, I forgive her, then she waits another few months and does it again. So right now, I hate her. Probably in a few weeks I'll hate her less."

"Ah. I see," Axel didn't really understand that logic but it was yet another thing he really couldn't begin to comprehend. After a minute of silence between them, he started to cruise around the HBCC website, looking for the registration button. He was already enrolled to the college but needed to see what classes were still open. He subconsciously stuck the tip of his tongue out in thought. He happened to notice Roxas staring at him with a light blush. "What? What'd I do?" he asked.

"Nothing," the blonde said quickly and went back to his computer screen. Axel was confused but decided not to push it any further. Roxas recovered quickly by clearing his throat a little and clicked around the same website. "Alright, so how many credits did you want to take?"

***

"Oh my god I want to just cream myself," Sora said and laid his torso across the hood of Axel's car. "It's so sexy."

"Ew, don't get your fluids on her," the redhead said and opened the front door and stooped inside. Roxas had said his phone might've been left in the car from that morning and the redhead stuck his hands around the interior, searching.

"Her? Why is it a 'she'?"

"Because cars are women just like boats."

"So every time I'm getting in a car, I'm getting into a woman?" Sora asked with a small squeak.

"Yep. So get off her."

"But she's so sexy. She can't be a woman," he rubbed his face along the silver. "It's almost a shame to drive it in the snow."

"I know right?" He found Roxas' Blackberry wedged between the passenger seat and the middle console. He shoved it in his pocket and closed the door. He rounded the front and yanked Sora away by his shirt and headed towards the door to the house. The brunette whimpered and reached for the car again but Axel ignored him and shoved him inside.

"Roxas loves you more," Sora huffed and crossed his arms.

"He does, does he?"

"Yeah, you got to live with him before me _and_ he gave you a car."

"Material things, Sora. Material things. The room and board is nice though I will admit."

"You don't like the car?"

"I'm having a hard time adjusting. I only ever took my mom's old Honda to get groceries every now and again. I've never had my own before."

"Well fine, give it to me. I'll name _him_ Butch."

"No that's okay, I'll get used to her eventually," the redhead said and pushed the door to the study open. Roxas was still at his computer but had the laptop open and on the desk a short distance away. Axel put the phone on the surface and leaned on the back of the blonde's chair. "How goes it?" he asked. Sora plopped into a chair and watched.

"We're fine. We have the two classes together and…" he clicked a few things, "there. Paid for."

"Take my part out of the money from my mom's house, please."

"Sure."

"Did the people call back yet?" he asked. Roxas reached for his Blackberry and clicked a button. The screen lit up and he nodded.

"Yep, let me call them back." Roxas closed the laptop and set it aside. Axel leaned over and kissed the top of the blonde's head and laid his cheek across it. Roxas didn't seem bothered by his newly acquired hat and took up a small stack of papers without disturbing the redhead. He flipped through a few with the phone pressed to his ear and waited for the people on the other line to pick up. He left a voicemail when they didn't. Axel sighed.

"I just want to get this over with," he grumbled. Roxas reached up and patted his hair.

"Selling a house requires a lot of paperwork. It'll be a few weeks yet before it's all over and done with. So sit tight."

"Yeah, okay."

"We still have a few hours before Cloud is supposed to arrive, did you two want to do something?"

"You don't have any work to do?" Axel asked in disbelief. Roxas shrugged.

"I always do. But nothing pressing at the moment."

"Let's go roll around naked in the snow," Sora said with a grin.

"No thanks," Axel barked.

"I'd bet you'd do it if Roxas had my cat ears on," he taunted.

"I'm not wearing cat ears, Sora," Roxas said defiantly. "Besides, they're brown; I'd need a pair of yellow ones at least. Don't want to clash."

"Aw!' Sora whined. "You'd be so cute though."

"Enough said," the blonde agreed. Axel looked off into the distance with visions of Roxas in cat ears and he blushed a little.

"Well I dunno what else to do then. That's all I had," Sora huffed. Then he gasped, "let's go blow up zombies!" Roxas blinked a few times, trying to register what he was talking about. Axel perked up and grinned.

"Zombies are good."

***

"What do you have against Rochelle?" Axel asked. He slouched in his seat on the giant leather couch in the game room, waiting for the loading screen to disappear. Left 4 Dead 2 was a pretty decent way to pass the time and Sora was whining about he ended up as the only woman on the team. Roxas stared silently at the controller like it was a foreign artifact, and Axel wondered why they even had video games if the blonde didn't play them.

"Aside from the obvious vagina problem? She's _boring_," Sora huffed. "At least Ellis says stupid things."

"That he does. I'm good with Coach though. He's pretty funny when he gets going on about food. Nick is just a douche."

"I miss Francis," the brunette sighed. The screen changed and they were off. Axel tried his best to hold back his snickering as Roxas went in a completely opposite direction and the blond furrowed his brows in frustration. He took a few minutes to test the buttons and the camera.

"What are you _doing_, Roxxy?" the brunette asked.

"I have no idea," he said.

"Why do you even have these if you don't use them?" Axel asked.

"Xigbar plays them."

"Really? Why can't I see that?"

"Because it's very awkward to watch."

"I suppose it would be." Familiar daunting theme music started up and Axel sighed. "A Tank? Really? Already?"

"Roxxy's dead," Sora added and giggled.

"What's a Tank?" Roxas asked. "Whoa okay," he said as the behemoth rounded the corner and galloped after Coach. Axel made a noise and mashed a bunch of buttons as he tried to get out of the line of fire. Sora laughed at him. The blonde was of no help at all and the computer run Nick was of little use as well so the brunette had to go rescue the redhead from certain destruction. Ellis, or rather, Roxas was pounded into the ground by some of the smaller zombies and Sora started giggling uncontrollably. The blonde nudged him, which only made his problem worse.

"Roxxy didn't even get touched by the Tank and he still died!" the brunette said as he rolled to his side, shaking with laughter.

"That's fine really, I don't understand this anyway," the blonde said and set his controller on his lap. Axel smirked. He and Sora continued on their merry way and Roxas ignored the option to restart. When they reached the end of the mission and the statistics for how they played rolled by, Sora restarted his giggle fit when he saw all of Roxas' counts at '0.' Axel couldn't help but smile a little as well though he was better at hiding it.

"It'd be cool if someone made a video game based on us," Sora quipped after the next mission began. Roxas sat this one out.

"I guess?" Axel said.

"Why would someone want to do that?" Roxas asked. "What, would I sit around with my amazing ability to do paperwork?"

"You could be my sidekick," Sora quipped with a grin. "We could go save the world together."

"One corporate take down at a time," Roxas added and crossed his arms. Axel laughed. Sora made a disgruntled face.

"That's really lame, guys," the redhead said.

"I was thinking more along the lines of something more like a fantasy game, Roxxy," Sora added.

"I'm not much for fantasy," the blonde said. Sora and Axel nodded in agreement. They sat in relative silence for most of the next round and through the one after that. Before they knew it, Demyx was calling them for dinner.

***

"Cloud is here!" Xigbar called into the house when he went to answer the door. It was after seven by the time the taller blonde got there and he and Tifa stepped into the house followed by several pieces of luggage. Xigbar handed the bags off to Demyx and Zexion who took them upstairs immediately. Roxas, followed by Axel and Sora went to greet them. Larxene clattered down the stairs excitedly and Luxord followed shortly after, though less giddily.

"My baby!" Larxene squealed and threw herself on Cloud. He grunted with the force and hugged her back. He was too tall for her to smash his face into her bosom, which Axel almost wanted to see. Tifa smiled politely and said her greetings. Larxene hugged her as well. Sora and the redhead hung back as Roxas approached them with his father. The men shook hands with each other and Tifa received light hugs. Xigbar took their coats and the group was left to themselves. Aquamarine eyes scanned the pair off in the distance and Axel fought the urge to fidget under Cloud's serious gaze. Sora waved a little.

"Hi Cloud, long time no see!" the brunette said with a grin. The taller blonde crossed the entryway and nodded in greeting.

"How's your brother?" he asked in a stony tone.

"Dead," the brunette said simply. Cloud blinked in surprise. Axel looked at the brunette with a hard stare. Tifa gasped lightly and put a hand to her mouth. Roxas cleared his throat to turn everyone's attention away.

"Now is not the time for that," Roxas said. "You two must be exhausted from your trip, are you hungry? Want something to drink, perhaps?" Cloud took a breath with furrowed brows and shook his head.

"I'm fine," he said. Larxene took Tifa by the hand and the women skittered off to the kitchen. Luxord excused himself as well and went back upstairs.

"You remember Axel?" Roxas asked his brother and Cloud looked the redhead over again. Axel smiled a little.

"I remember his hair being flat and his face being clear, yes."

"That was a total façade, sorry," Axel apologized.

"Ah. Alright then. Hello again."

"Hi."

"How is Namine?" Cloud asked, turning to Roxas. Axel was thankful for the avoidance of an awkward silence between them. Officially meeting the taller blonde and having to talk to him was far more uncomfortable for the redhead than it should have been. He was nothing like Roxas' father, which should have been the more challenging family member to meet. If anything he was more like Roxas, but less cute and soft; more hard edged and masculine. Maybe it was the fact that Cloud was just about as tall as Axel and could look him in the eye that made him so intimidating.

"Deranged," Roxas deadpanned.

"When is she coming home?"

"Your guess is about as good as mine."

"Hopefully she comes back before I leave."

"You know, I said the very same thing."

"Glad we're on the same page, then," Cloud added and smiled a little. It did nothing to settle Axel's uneasiness. The redhead excused himself and headed out back to smoke. Shortly after his first exhale the door opened again and Sora came out.

"Way to drop the ball back there," Axel remarked.

"What did you want me to say? 'Oh he's cool, just missing half of his skull, you know how it is.' May as well not pussyfoot around it," the brunette spat with a scowl. "I don't like it any more than you do." Axel handed the brunette a cigarette and his lighter. Sora lit up and handed it back.

"True, but you could've worded it a little better," he added. Sora shrugged.

"Oh well." The redhead was a little disturbed by Sora's nonchalant way of speaking about his deceased sibling. But then again, the brunette never gave him any reason to think that he didn't care what happened. He may have not been rolling on the floor and bawling his eyes out about it, but he seemed upset enough. Sora took a deep breath before turning his emotion switch another notch and grinning. "Cloud is so hot," he quipped.

"I suppose so."

"Oh come on, you totally want in on that blonde sandwich, you know it," he giggled. Axel's mind was flooded with images of himself sandwiched between Roxas and his brother naked and panting together and he had to admit to himself it was a more than a little tantalizing. But Sora didn't need to know that. He shook his head.

"I'm good with just Roxas thanks. Cloud doesn't come off as much of bottom."

"Naw, he'd rip your ass apart, dude."

"That's the point. I like my ass where it is. Besides, he has Tifa."

"Eh, women," Sora waved dismissively. "You can have her. I'll take Cloud." Axel scoffed.

"He'd kill you."

"That's okay so long as my dying vision is of those gorgeous eyes," he swooned. "You'd just suffocate in Tifa's boobs and not be able to see anything when she crushes you."

"I could deal with that. Boobs are the best part."

"You're weird."

"I'm an equal opportunist, thanks."

"Whatever. I have to hand it to Larxene though, for as crazy as she is, she makes some pretty cute kids."

"Yeah she does."

***

Luxord tossed a couple extra chips into the pot and sat back in his seat. The chips had no actual monetary value this time around and were simply used as a point system versus anything important. Cloud hiked a calm eyebrow at his move and tossed in a few more of his own. Roxas folded. Luxord laid his hand on the table.

"Pair of aces," he stated. Cloud smiled and laid his own cards down.

"King high straight," he said.

"Damn," Luxord squinted at the hand and Cloud chuckled before pulling the pile of chips to himself. Luxord took his defeat like a trooper and began shuffling the cards back together and dealing another hand. Tifa came into the game room and looked around. She eyed the card game carefully before heading over and sitting on the couch with Axel and Sora. The brunette looked at the woman with a quirked brow.

"Hi Tifa," he said simply, Axel waved. She smiled.

"What are you guys playing?"

"Left 4 Dead. The first one," he answered simply. She looked at the screen curiously.

"Wanna play?" Axel asked. Sora fidgeted a little. Tifa looked at them again.

"Could I? Haven't played the first one in a while."

"Sure," he said, a little surprised that she accepted and that she knew what she was talking about. The woman kicked off her shoes and moved to sit between them with her legs curled under herself. They restarted and added her in.

"I like this one's characters better than the second one, but the second one has more stuff to blow up," she said. "It's such a conflict of interests, it drives me wild."

"I like Francis," Sora said.

"Me too. Though I always pick Zoey. Must be a girl thing."

"You can have her." They played together making idle chit chat about nothing in particular. Roxas looked over from the poker table with a quirked brow but went back to his hand quickly. Tifa was surprisingly on par with Axel and Sora in terms of skill at the game and the brunette squealed when she saved him and he hugged her abruptly. She laughed. The redhead didn't talk much during the fun and after they finished another mission together she looked at him with curious eyes.

"You're so quiet," she remarked with a kind smile. He shrugged.

"I don't have much to say, I guess."

"Neither does Cloud most of the time. I'm used to it but you didn't initially give me vibe that you two were so similar in that respect."

"We are?"

"I think so. You have yet to give me a reason to think otherwise. It's not a bad thing, though."

"Huh," Axel said and turned his attention back to the television. They were in the middle of another mission when suddenly Cloud sat on the opposite couch and watched the game quietly. The redhead flicked his gaze from the screen to Cloud, screen to Cloud, screen to Cloud over and over again.

"What are you doing Axel? Pay attention!" Sora squealed as he pointed to the screen. The redhead's Bill was being smacked around by a bunch of zombies that he should have easily obliterated before they even got that close. He realized he was staring too much at Cloud and he blushed some. Tifa giggled but for which reason he couldn't tell. He hoped no one had noticed especially the larger blonde himself. When there was a lull in the action he checked over at the poker table to see what Roxas was doing. The smaller boy was nowhere to be seen and Luxord was cleaning up. He finished out the mission with Sora and Tifa and handed his controller off to the woman before getting up to go find him.

Roxas was in the study again and on the phone. He was rubbing his temples with furrowed brows and a stressed face. He talked in a low voice into the receiver. "Right, well are you sure that's a good ide—oh. I see. Alright. I'll send someone to pick her up in the morning. Thank you doctor, yes. Goodbye," he sighed and hung up. He pulled his glasses off his face and rubbed his eyes.

"Namine?" Axel asked and took a seat. The blonde nodded.

"She'll be here in the morning. I should warn everyone."

"Can that wait?" the redhead asked. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to ask for an extension in time. His shoulders felt heavy for some reason and he wanted Roxas' help to alleviate the feeling.

"Is there a problem?"

"I—I just want to spend some time with you I guess. There're too many people around," he admitted sheepishly. The longer he thought about it the more he felt guilty for staring at Cloud like a love-sick schoolgirl. He stared off into the carpeting. Roxas gave him a curious face before walking around his desk and climbing into his lap. Axel looked into the blonde's face and gave him a tiny smile.

"Anxiety?" Roxas asked.

"Maybe just a little," Axel said. _Yeah, we can blame it on that, _he thought to himself. The blonde smiled and tucked himself under Axel's chin and the redhead laid his face against the top of his head. He wrapped his arms around the smaller boy and heaved a sigh. "Did Namine say anything?" he asked, to change the subject.

"I didn't talk to her but her doctor said she's detoxed thoroughly and the baby is fine. They tried to figure out the gender but the baby wasn't positioned right or something. I don't know what they were talking about specifically. I only know that uteruses exist and that babies come from them."

"Here's hoping for a girl," Axel added with his index and middle fingers crossed. Roxas nodded.

"It'd certainly make things much less complicated. We could probably run it over with a truck and Xemnas wouldn't care."

"Or we could cut out the middle man and just run your sister over with a truck."

"I suppose we could. But then there would be the problem of hiding the body. Blood shows on snow way more than I'm comfortable with."

"True," the redhead agreed. He jumped a little when he felt something slide across his ankle. He looked down and Pearl was rubbing against him. Roxas looked over as well and leaned to scoop the animal up. She let out a squeak with the change in gravity but quickly settled when she landed in the blonde's lap. Axel watched Roxas' expression soften as he ran his hands over the silken fur and he smiled. He wondered if the blonde would look the same way holding and infant. The image was too cute and he let out a tiny snort and pulled Roxas to his chest again to nuzzle his hair affectionately.

"What's gotten into you all of a sudden?" the blonde asked with half his face skewed by Axel's hands.

"Nothing, don't worry about it."

***

Cloud sat back with his arms crossed over his chest. He sighed and stared into the carpeting with a look of mild contempt. He cleared his throat some before looking back to his younger brother. "Why are you coming to me now of all times? You didn't bother to tell me about Leon until your weird friend dropped a bomb on me out of nowhere. Why should I help you after that?"

"You don't have to do anything. I'm not forcing you. If it'll make you feel better though, do it for mother," Roxas moved forward in his seat and locked eyes with Cloud. "I _need_ information on them. Something concrete. Evidence. You're the only one I can think of that may have something that Xemnas wants." Cloud scoffed at him and shook his head.

"Yeah, but you're asking a lot. I'm not even sure my father would go for it."

"I'll pay you."

"How much?"

"How much do you need?"

"I can't even fathom it, honestly."

"Get me a quote and I'll write the check," Roxas said finitely. Cloud flexed his jaw in thought and tapped his foot. It took him a while to gather his thoughts but he eventually nodded.

"I'll ask but there are no guarantees," he said finally.

"Of course," Roxas agreed. He let out a breath. "Thank you, Cloud."

"You're going to owe me a huge favor for this you realize that, right?"

"You have my word."

***

Roxas let out a loud slurp as he tried to catch the bead of drool that escaped from his mouth with little success. He was extremely happy no one was around to see that. He shook his head a little and rewound the bottom bead of the barbell under his tongue. His mind was reeling with the possible scenarios that would unfold in the morning when his sister came home. Namine throwing a fit was a definite possibility. His mother crying most of the day was also very plausible. He put away the little box of spare barbells and rinsed his mouth out with mouthwash one last time before heading through the bathroom and towards his bed. He let himself fall face first into the pillows and let out a sigh.

It was times like these that made the blonde wonder why he put up with so much bullshit. He wondered why he hadn't dropped Axel when he found out his history and why he let his mother move back in. He wondered why he cared so much about Sora falling off the face of the earth. He wondered why he let his father move in with them and why he let Namine affect him so much. He could toss them all to the curb, but then where would he be? Sitting around by himself being pretty damn bored, that's where. His emotions were costing him money, costing him his sanity, and costing him his time but could he admit that he hated it all? He could definitely live without some of the problems but he didn't think he could live without the people. Did he really want to be by himself? Alone?

Were the companionship and the idea of a haphazard family tossed randomly into a house really worth the headache? He wasn't prepared to say that it wasn't, but he did wish things were a little simpler. He wanted to rewind the years a little and restart a few things. Just a few. Okay maybe more than a few but all the same. He wanted to have a _normal_ life. One where he could've met Axel through better circumstances and say 'hey there, this is my entirely normal and not hyperactive friend Sora, I promise he won't rape you and he doesn't bite. This is my mother who isn't homophobic and this is my sister who isn't a disgusting whore. My father isn't a leech and I think you're really hot. So let's go on a date some time, big guy.' Yeah, like hell that could ever happen. But the blonde could dream couldn't he?

Maybe the government would let him buy a nuclear warhead and he could just blow up Xemnas' corporate building and hope that he was inside along with Riku and all the other people he couldn't stand. That could be one big headache gone and at the very least he'd have a little breathing room. He could take the time to learn to play video games with Axel or learn more about him general, fuck video games. The blonde furrowed his brows together with the thought of him not knowing much about the people Axel used to hang around. College together would be a daunting thing if some of those people happened to be going to the same place. He just hoped they weren't in the classes they didn't share. There was a knock at his door.

"Come in," he called, his face still buried. At least he knew it wasn't Sora, the brunette didn't have those kinds of manners. The door opened and closed again. No one made any noise and Roxas pushed himself up some and looked over his shoulder. "Oh. Hello Tifa. I'm sorry; I thought you were someone else."

"Hi Roxas, can I ask you a weird question?" she asked. She sat on the side of his bed and the blonde sat up with her. She adjusted her lacy pajama top a little and the blonde immediately thought it needed to be three sizes bigger just to accommodate her chest.

"Sure."

"Is Axel your boyfriend?" she asked it so simply and without much inflection it took the blonde a minute to process what she was asking. He blinked a little. He almost couldn't speak past the sudden lump in his throat.

"We have an odd relationship. Why?" was all he could think to say. This was so sudden.

"Oh." she blushed a light shade of pink and looked at her hands which she folded in her lap. Roxas raised a brow at her and immediately became suspicious.

"I would like to know why that's relevant to you."

"Honestly? I just wondered if he was available," she said with a smile. She looked at him then. She was serious. Roxas' eyes widened.

"What about Cloud?" he asked with disbelief. She blushed a darker shade and smiled more, thinking how she should word her next statement.

"He doesn't mind," she said quietly. "I'm sorry; I'm being a little out line. I just figured I'd ask before we initiate anything. So long as we're not stepping on any toes, we'll assume he's free. Thanks for your honesty," she smiled with a warm expression. She left without adding anything else. Roxas' mouth dropped open as he gaped at the closed door. He was dumbfounded.

His skin started to prickle as he thought about what just transpired. Was his brother seriously going to ask Axel to sleep with him and Tifa? Was this the 'huge favor' he had mentioned? Would Axel even consider it? The blonde blinked against his confusion and his eyes darted back and fourth from the door to his hands, over and over again. He and Axel were lovers, but did they really consider each other a legitimate couple? He didn't like the idea of sharing Axel with anyone, especially not Cloud. They never talked about 'love' and 'feelings' and as far as Roxas was aware the redhead and he were purely physical. Wouldn't it be the same scenario if the blonde gave into Sora's affections? The uncertainty was making his chest tight.

He had to find Axel first before Tifa could get to him.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Roxas pressed his ear up against the door that lead into Cloud and Tifa's room, hoping that they were both still inside so he could find Axel. He was bombarded by conversation that sounded like Tifa was incredibly worried about something and Cloud sounded like he was on the verge of breaking something. He joined them mid-sentence.

"—my mother said. I was under the impression that made him off-limits, Tifa," Cloud growled.

"You looked so upset though, I just thought we could try again, sweetie."

"He can't replace Leon. You of all people should know that." Roxas felt a pang in his chest and he cursed the terrible communication skills he shared with his brother.

"But you were so happy to be invited here. I thought the plan was to help your family then spend some time rekindling with Leon. Surely after so many years he'd come back to us, remember? That's what you said. Then Sora punched you in the gut and your expression nearly killed me. I just wanted to give you that feeling one more time before we moved on," she sniffled lightly, "I miss him too you know." She let out a feminine squeak before she started crying lightly. Cloud sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry. Ti—Tifa please don't. Don't cry," he pleaded with her. Roxas could hear Cloud's boots creak as he walked across the carpet and Tifa's weeping became somewhat muffled. Roxas sighed a little and pulled his ear from the door, he had heard enough. He hadn't realized Leon had meant so much to his brother and Tifa. He knew they had had some strange relationship that he couldn't understand when he was younger, but they had a falling out a few years prior to now and Roxas thought that was the end of it. Apparently it wasn't. Either that or his mother hadn't told him enough about the situation. He felt guilty for not telling Cloud about his friend, or whatever Leon was to him. On top of that, he felt horrible for asking so much of Cloud directly after breaking the news to him. He swallowed thickly and continued down the hall towards Axel's bedroom, assuming he would be there.

Axel was in the middle of pulling up his pajama pants when Roxas barged in. He let out a surprised yelp when the blonde emerged and exhaled in relief when he figured out that it wasn't Sora. "Don't do that! Jesus! You scared me," he sighed and adjusted the top of his pants.

"Sorry," the blonde sighed and shut the door behind him. He locked it.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm an asshole."

"No, you _have_ an asshole," the redhead quipped, hoping to garner a smile. He didn't get one. Roxas padded across the carpeting quietly and flopped onto the bed on his back. Axel followed him and sat on the edge, looking down at the boy spread out on the fabric like a ragdoll in front of him. Roxas pulled in a long breath through his nose before letting it out through his mouth. He switched his eyes from the ceiling to Axel who looked him over with a curious face.

"I really hurt Cloud," the blonde said.

"How'd you do that?"

"I didn't tell him about Leon when _it_ happened. I told him only a little bit ago, and then I asked him a huge favor directly afterward. It was inconsiderate and completely selfish of me."

"What, were they like friends or something?" Axel asked. Roxas nodded, he didn't feel like Tifa and Cloud were going to jump the redhead and take him away anymore so he didn't feel the need to elaborate on the weird triangle they seemed to have shared. "Oh." Axel couldn't think of anything to say that would make the blonde feel better, he agreed that it was a very asshole-ish thing to do. Roxas covered his face in his hands and sighed again.

"I don't know what to do."

"Well you can apologize to him. Or you can lay with me and cuddle for a bit until you feel better and then apologize in the morning," the redhead offered. Roxas nodded. The doorknob jiggled and Sora whined outside the door like a lost puppy and knocked. "Or we could kick Sora in the balls for being so damn rude," Axel offered.

"I like option three, personally. Can we do option two afterward?"

"Yeah." Axel stood and went to the door. Sora was in the doorway pouting.

"What gives?" he whined.

"Go sleep with someone else tonight," Axel ordered. The brunette's mouth dropped open.

"Why?"

"Because I say so, that's why." Sora looked around the redhead to Roxas who stayed seated on the bed.

"Roxxy?"

"Yes Sora?"

"Can I?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Wh—well who am I supposed to sleep with? I'm_ not_ staying with your parents and I don't think Cloud likes me enough. Well… I suppose I could ask Xiggy," the brunette said and looked a little thoughtful. He sighed and shook his head. "He's _old_, Roxxy!" he pouted. "Can't I just come in after a couple hours or something?"

"No," Axel stated and closed the door without another word. He locked it and could hear Sora gasp a little from the other side. The redhead went and rejoined the blonde in the bed after turning the light off.

"_That _was mean," Roxas said.

"I'm so tired of him, Roxas. Seriously, we need to wean him or something," Axel huffed and pulled the blonde to his chest.

"Wean him? That's a strange way to put it."

"It's what we'd be doing isn't it?"

"True. I just wish he wasn't so immature about things."

"Me too."

"I feel like his father sometimes versus his friend, you know?"

"I'm not going to lie and say you guys don't remind me of that very scenario." Axel ran his fingers through Roxas' hair and the blonde settled against him. He smiled. "I wonder what he's going to do."

"Hopefully he'll come to his senses or just pass out in the hallway. Either way, I don't want to deal with him right now," the blonde spat and draped an arm over Axel's side. He could still feel the ridge of the redhead's ribcage a little too clearly and that bothered him. He ran his hand over the bump and moved it downwards to see how many ribs he could actually feel under his fingertips. Axel bent away from him and looked between them at the blonde's fingers.

"What're you doing?" he asked.

"You're too thin. You need to eat."

"I _do_ eat. You've _seen_ me eat. You've been present for pretty much all my meals since I've lived here."

"I know, but it bothers me you can't gain any weight."

"It's just the way I am, Roxas. I'd like to gain some, really I would."

"It's worrisome," the blonde said and furrowed his brows. Axel jabbed him in the forehead with a finger. Roxas startled and gave him a glare.

"Stop that," Axel ordered.

"What?"

"Worrying about everything."

"I have a lot to worry about," the blonde huffed.

"Well share some then. I'll worry with you, if you tell me what to worry about. So go ahead, tell me what worries you."

"Namine, you, Cloud and Tifa, my mother and father, and Sora, most of all Riku and Xemnas. Pick one," he grumbled.

"Okay let me rephrase, what are you worrying about that you can actually change?" the redhead asked and smiled a little. Roxas thought about that carefully. He couldn't change Namine's circumstances, he couldn't help his parent's relationship anymore, he couldn't prevent nor predict what Riku and Xemnas were doing, and Sora was a lost cause and could only change himself, so really all he could worry about was keeping Axel healthy and apologizing to his brother and Tifa. He resettled against the redhead without giving him an answer and Axel hugged him close and ran a hand over his back calmingly. Outside the door, Sora huffed and laid his forehead against the wood.

***

Namine would be home soon. Nobody wanted to see her. Least of all Axel. He had no qualms about stomping the demon fetus out of her and he was thankful he and Roxas could get back from the clinic before she got there, giving him a chance to digest his methadone some and letting him gain a bit of his sanity back. Larxene was pacing in the front entryway with her brows pushed together and her arms crossed. Xigbar was by the door, looking out the window for the car Demyx took to go get the girl; he was on standby for when she started to throw things. The redhead and Roxas sat together on the chaise lounge by the entry. Luxord walked down the stairs calmly followed shortly by Cloud they took places on the steps, watching Larxene.

"Heads up," Xigbar said when he caught sight of the car. Roxas leaned forward and balanced his elbows on his knees, holding his face in his hands. Axel laid a hand on his back and rubbed it idly. The blonde looked over his fingertips and the redhead could see his hands shake some. He hated Namine for making Roxas shake like that.

Demyx pushed the door open and Namine stepped inside and looked around at the mob of people greeting her. She put her hands on her hips and gave them all scrutinizing looks. To Axel, she didn't look very pregnant; a tiny bit chubby at the most. Then again, he had only come in contact with maybe four pregnant women in his short life and they all looked enormous to him. She did have however, an eyebrow piercing he had never seen before on her.

"What is this? And intervention? Already had one, thanks. You all can go away," she spat. She eyed Cloud, "what are _you_ doing here?"

"I'm the backup," the taller blonde said smugly.

"Oh really? For what? Are you going to tackle a five foot two pregnant girl? I'm pretty sure there's a law against that somewhere," she scoffed at him. "I'm not afraid of you. Or any of you for that matter," she added and looked around.

"I could. It all depends on if you do something to deserve it," Cloud said.

"Tackle Roxas, it's his fault," she pointed a finger at her brother. The smaller blonde ran a hand over his face and didn't say a word. Larxene took a few steps towards her daughter.

"What are you talking about, his fault? He didn't get you pregnant, at least I hope he didn't…" the mother trailed off casting a look towards Roxas.

"That's disgusting! Of course he didn't!" Namine yelled. "I was going to go behind everyone's back and have an abortion and just end it before the stupid thing had a heartbeat. But he cut off my allowance back in October so I couldn't afford it. Then he paid for Riku's plane ticket home from Greece in December! Riku cut off my fix and I went nuts. All of this because he denied Riku what he wanted and to save his nasty fuck buddy over there!" she screamed and pointed to Axel. The redhead looked to Roxas as did everyone else.

"What is she talking about Roxas?" Luxord asked quietly. "You paid for Riku's ticket home?"

"I did, in exchange for Axel. I had no idea what he was planning," the blonde said and stared intently at his sister. "I did not, however, force her to sleep with Xemnas. She could've avoided everything had she closed her legs." Namine smiled at him sweetly.

"Or you could've just bent over and accepted Riku and he wouldn't have had to hurt you, and fuck-face wouldn't have sent him to the hospital and start this whole thing." Axel assumed he was 'fuck-face.' Namine cleared the distance between them quickly and stuck her face in the redhead's. "Is it nice Axel? Is my brother's ass tight enough for you? Is the money nice too? I bet it is," she spat. Roxas put a hand on her shoulder and shoved her back. She stood and laughed at them. Her brother was in her face quickly but she put up a hand to stop any words from coming, "save it Roxas. _One _of us had to give mom grandkids. Why not have one with her _most favoritest_ man in the world?" she swooned and walked to her mother. Larxene watched her with wide eyes. "You're too old to have his babies, mom. I'll do it for you," she said with a wide smile. "I'll drop it off once it's done cooking." Larxene clenched her fists angrily and Axel waited for the woman to rear back and punch Namine in the nose, but she didn't. Instead her face quickly crumbled and her eyes watered. The girl laughed as her mother crumpled in a heap onto the marble floor in hysterical sobs. Luxord went next to her and pulled her against his chest. Cloud was on his feet.

"You've been given everything in the world and you're throwing it away, you know that? A home, a family who cared about you, friends, a good school, everything. What the _fuck_ if your problem?" Cloud sneered. He stooped and pushed his face into Namine's.

"My problem? I wasn't Roxas. That's my problem. Grandpa tossed me aside even though I'm older simply because I'm a woman! He gave it all to that little bastard who took away what little I had. No one wants me. Riku doesn't, Roxas doesn't, mom doesn't, least of all _dad_ who fucking just up and left us and just _happened_ to come back after Roxas turned eighteen and got everything for serious. Xemnas was the only one that gave two shits about me enough to let me near him and take what I wanted. Let me live a little outside of the supposed bubble, the one I never had a choice in!" she bellowed. "I don't know what _your _problem is Cloud. But you certainly have more than I ever did. At least you had a _choice_ to go live with your dad and get away from this shit-hole." She smiled. "So to repay his kindness, I'll give Xemnas another son," she said quietly and rubbed her abdomen affectionately. "Maybe I should thank Roxas for making it so I couldn't abort it. It's the only good thing he's ever done for me anyway." There was a thundering silence surrounding Larxene's crying. Roxas sat down in his seat heavily and stared blankly into the marble. Axel's gaze went around the room and when no one said anything, he sighed.

"Yeah, it kind of sucks when you have no one doesn't it?" came a gleeful voice from around the staircase. Sora walked around the steps with his hands folded behind his head. He strolled over to Namine and tilted his head at her curiously and giggled. "Xemnas is great, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he is," she agreed and smiled at him.

"Until he rapes you and kills your family, anyway," the brunette shrugged. "I've seen him do it a few times. Riku would join him every now and again, of course. Particularly Axel's mom though, that was a rough one," Axel's eyes flew wide and he gaped at the brunette. "They're such a great team, don't you think? The perfect match. Where do you and your vagina fit into that happy equation again? Oh yeah, you're the baby factory, I forgot. They tried that with Selphie too, she was cooking a girl for them right around the time they killed her too so I hope for your sake that the kid stays out of the line of sight until they can superimpose a huge cock on it. Otherwise, man, you're _fucked_." Sora smiled pleasantly. Axel stood without thinking about it. The brunette looked at him and waved him off nonchalantly, "we can talk later snuggle bunny." Roxas grabbed Axel's hand and pulled him back. "Anyway, Namine, what do you wanna do now? I have some free time; we could go see a movie or something. Let's make it a date," he quipped with a wink. Namine had a look of shock on her face and Larxene sniffled loudly, watching her. Cloud was as equally as stunned and looked down at the boy with wide eyes.

"It's not true. Everything you just said is a lie," Namine said in monotone.

"Is it? Why the hell do you think I'm _here_? I'm a piece of garbage too, now. I couldn't even bring Riku his stash without ODing and he tossed me like a tissue. Where the fuck do you think _you're_ going if you squirt out another vagina? Did Riku tell you he loved you? How about Xemnas? They said the same stuff to me. Hell, all of Xemnas' previous wives are _dead_, dude. He said he loved them too I bet. Only Riku's mom managed to get away. Haven't you watched the videos? He records every one of the murders. The people lying on the floor dying and calling out for him to save them, to have mercy, but he never does. He gets off on that. Riku does too."

"I'm not going to have a daughter. I have nothing to worry about," she protested.

"I hope you don't. Otherwise, like I said, you're _done_. Poof. No more Namine. So maybe you should be less of a bitch and more of a family member while they're all still alive. Just in case you _do_ find out you're having a girl so you can get away and maybe they'll accept you, you know, it's just a thought. But what do I know? I'm just Sora. I'm not your brother, or your cousin, or your father, or your nephew or anyone else you're related to. I only spent twelve years with Riku, is all, takin' it up the butt like all the other fags you hate. Xemnas too, on a lesser scale, really." The brunette turned to Roxas and Axel. "I'm really tired guys; I didn't get any sleep last night. Can we take a nap now?" They blinked at him with their mouths open. "I'll just wait in Axel's bed," he turned on his heel and walked calmly up the stairs and headed for the redhead's bedroom.

Silence. Roaring, ear shattering silence. Xigbar and Demyx were frozen in place by the door, watching Namine. Cloud's arms hung limply at his sides as he stared off into the distance. Luxord and Larxene were focused on the same place in the distance as Cloud. Namine's legs shook and she fell to her knees much like her mother had done and stared into Cloud's kneecaps as she sat back, holding her abdomen protectively.

"I want another ultrasound," she said quietly.

***

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip out your windpipe and fuck you with it!" Axel screamed at Sora. "You saw them rape and kill my mother and yet you did nothing!?" He grabbed the brunette's shirt collar and lifted him a few inches from the ground. Sora was calm and looked into Axel's eyes, without resisting.

"Because I wasn't actually there," he said simply. "I couldn't have stopped them."

"I don't believe you! You just told Namine you saw them do it you little shit!" he shook the fistful of fabric he had clenched in his fingers and Sora jerked a little.

"And then I said they have videos of the stuff they do." Axel stopped shaking him. "I _saw_ them kill my sister; I was tied up and in the corner with Leon while I watched Xemnas rape her and Riku brand her forehead before cutting her throat open. You ever smell burning skin, Axel? It's not nice. Let me go, please." The redhead dropped him and he smoothed his shirt down calmly. "I didn't want to say anything about your mom but Namine made me so mad for being so ungrateful of what she has. _I_ have nothing. _I'm_ the one who lost everything. At least you have Roxas. Me? Nada. Zilch." Axel licked his lips and swallowed thickly.

"Why didn't you say anything about the videos?" he asked as calmly as he could. "Roxas would've tried to find them."

"How? Break in and say 'hand 'em over douche bags!' and _not_ get shot? Believe me, if I had figured out a way to get back in there and find them for you guys I would have. I'm just not that smart, alright? They're probably eight countries away by now; I have no idea where they are. I'm sorry," he sighed. Axel's skin was crawling with anger and adrenaline. He was immensely pissed off and hoping that when Roxas got back from Namine's ultrasound that he brought some good news to alleviate his seething rage. He let out a shuttering breath and considered punching Sora just because he felt like it.

"I need to smoke," Axel spat and turned to leave.

"Can I come with?" Sora asked and he stopped. He pulled out his pack and handed him a cigarette.

"Do it somewhere else, I need to be alone for a minute."

"Okay, thanks."

***

Axel punched the outside brick of the manor. The shockwave traveled up through his joints and it did nothing to help him clear the anger. He did it again. Then again. Then again and stopped when he left a red smear across the stone. He couldn't feel the broken skin on his knuckles but he watched them drip and he felt a little better. He inhaled the last bit of his cigarette and snuffed it out in the snow. He pulled out another and lit it. Just about halfway through his first exhale, the back door opened and Cloud stepped out. The blonde looked surprised to see Axel.

"Can I have one of those?" he asked calmly and Axel handed him the pack and his lighter. Cloud took one and lit up with him, heaving a large sigh. "Thanks," he added. "I technically quit four years ago so let's not let the little woman know, yeah?"

"Whatever," Axel grumbled and wiped his hand in the snow. Cloud eyed the blood.

"Angry?"

"Seething."

"Well if it makes you feel any better, I got my ass handed to me by a kid half my size. I couldn't even tell my own little sister off properly, how sad is that?" he snorted and shook his head. "What a mess."

"At least your mom's alive," Axel blurted without thinking. He kicked the snow.

"Yeah I caught that too. I'm not going to apologize to you for it or whatever because I'm sure you've heard it enough."

"I have, I'm just waiting for someone to do something about it."

"What do you want them to do?"

"Fall of a cliff into a pile of bears, that's what."

"Ah. Yeah, I can see your point." Cloud exhaled a long stream of smoke and looked up into the gray overcast sky. "Leon's really gone, isn't he?"

"Yeah. I saw it," Axel said and inhaled. The blonde closed his eyes slowly and shook his head some. He swallowed and opened his eyes again. He flicked his ash and looked down at his feet for a brief moment before focusing on a point in the distance blankly. He opened his mouth to speak, closed it, cleared his throat and tried again.

"Was it quick?" he asked. Axel looked at him and pictures of Leon's skull flying open and his body falling limply to the side next to Roxas' frozen form flooded his mental eye. He nodded.

"Yeah. Instant." The redhead felt a little sick to his stomach but being reminded that he wasn't the only one who lost someone helped him calm some. Cloud nodded.

"At least there's that." The blonde rubbed the back of his neck and turned his jaw up and to the side to crack it. He inhaled the last of his cigarette and flicked the butt out into the snow as he exhaled. "Thanks for the smoke, Axel," he said and headed inside.

The redhead sighed. He wasn't angry anymore and felt the blood drip off of his finger. He looked at his hand again and scowl at it. _Why did I do that?_ he thought to himself.

***

"You shouldn't hurt your pretty hands, sweet pea," Marluxia said and cut the medical tape. "It's a shame to mar such nice skin," he added with a small smile. Axel smiled a little with him but still felt horribly numb inside. The rosy man tilted his head curiously at the redhead and Axel raised an eyebrow in question. Marluxia grinned wide and waited for Axel to reciprocate. Axel shook his head a little and grinned at him and Marluxia patted his cheek before packing up the first aid kit and leaving the redhead's bathroom. Axel sighed when he was gone and let the smile fade. He itched his arm a little and immediately stopped himself. He was _not _going to start that bullshit _now_. He exited the bathroom and eyed Sora who had passed out on his bed, the unlit cigarette cast aside carelessly. The brunette really hadn't slept, he surmised.

He didn't feel like strangling the boy anymore. If anything, he felt bad for him, having heard his story. Sora really helped everyone out earlier. Roxas' entire family had been blindsided and probably would've let Namine walk had the brunette not stepped in and said everything he had. Axel wondered what made him do it. Sora had nothing to gain by singling himself out like that, and it only made him look more pitiful if not a little twisted in his own right. Or maybe that was the point; he did thrive on attention. Any attention, really. Whatever the reason, the redhead was thankful he did it.

Then it occurred to him, if Roxas had paid for Riku's ticket home (which was weird anyway, Riku had the money to do it himself), why did he send Sora to Turkey? Had Sora served his purpose and Riku intentionally meant for the capsules of heroin to burst? Did he not wind them tight enough on purpose? Did Riku mean to try and kill Sora? Axel furrowed his brows and put a hand to his chin in thought. It didn't make any sense to him. The brunette groped in front of him in his sleep. When he didn't feel anyone to grab onto he scrunched his face up disdainfully and felt around more. Axel's heart sunk, the boy really did have a problem. Sora's eyes fluttered open and he blinked a little, lying still. He hadn't noticed the redhead standing off to the side out of the line of sight, Axel watched carefully.

Sora sighed sadly to himself and stared at the closed door of Axel's bedroom. He ran his fingers over the silkiness of the bedspread and kicked off his shoes before pulling his legs up to himself. He was waiting for someone to come in. The redhead crossed his arms over his chest and cleared his throat and the boy startled and looked up at him quickly. Axel watched the mechanical workings of Sora's mood knob turn his face from depression to happy surprise and the boy smiled.

"You watching something you like there sweet cheeks?" the boy quipped. He yawned. "You're just in time to take a nap with me." Sora sat up and patted the space on the bed next to him. Axel smirked and went to join him. Sora blinked in surprise when the redhead readily slid into the covers and held and arm up for him to curl up under. The brunette timidly laid himself next to the taller boy and Axel draped his arm over Sora's side. "What'd you do to your hand?" the brunette asked quietly, staring at Axel's bandaged knuckles.

"Don't worry about it," Axel said and curled his arm towards himself, pulling Sora's back to his chest. "Thank you, Sora," the redhead said into his chestnut spikes and the brunette nodded.

***

"I don't know weather to be amazed, happy, or insanely jealous," Roxas said quietly as he peeked into Axel's bedroom. Demyx looked over the blonde's head and squeaked.

"Oh my god that's adorable," the sandy blonde said in an elevated whisper. "They have clothes on so you know it's innocent, calm down," he added and patted Roxas between the shoulder blades. The blonde sighed and nodded. He shook the tension from his shoulders a little.

"I wonder how long they've been asleep. Should I wake them?"

"No, just leave 'em. Maybe take some pictures though; I dunno if this will happen again."

"I'm tempted to, honestly," Roxas said. He pulled the door closed reluctantly. Demyx was grinning from ear to ear. They continued down the hall together and past Namine's bedroom to a spare directly next door. "Okay, so we'll have to cut a hole in the wall and put a door between them," Roxas started. Demyx pulled out a tiny notepad and a pen from his apron and nodded, taking notes. "Maybe another entrance through the bathroom, which means we'd have to rip out the shower and move the plumbing," the sandy blond nodded, writing quickly. "Add a large bathtub, maybe one with jets, those are always nice. Throw some baby furniture around and paint it pink." Demyx laughed.

"You're so precise."

"Yeah well, this isn't exactly something I'm used to. It isn't my responsibility either, really. I should make Namine do all this."

"You're so nice to your sister, Roxas. I know she secretly loves you."

"I know she does. That's the only reason I put up with her."

"Your mom seems a little more excited, now."

"She should be; she's getting the grandchild she wants. I'm most certainly not going to be having any anytime soon, even if I was to adopt or go through a surrogate."

"You could be like Angelina Jolie and adopt half of Africa."

"That's okay. I'll help reduce the orphan population here first, if I do."

"You're too young to be talking about children; does Axel know you have plans for this?" Demyx gave him a sly smile.

"Why would he care?" Roxas knew where Demyx was going with this but he wanted the man to realize how ridiculous it was going to sound.

"Well aren't you going up to Canada to get married?" he twittered with a grin.

"I've known him for a little over four months, Demyx. Certain circumstances have brought us closer together quicker than what would normally happen but we're hardly anything close to _that_," the blonde said with a serious face. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Me and Zexxy _made love_ after two weeks," Demyx said and held his face between his hands and blushed, swaying a bit. Roxas rolled his eyes.

"I really didn't need to know that," he spat and shook his head. Demyx grinned.

"Of course you did, we've been together for almost five years now. You could make it work."

"Don't try and dictate my love life, please. I'm doing fine on my own. My mother would probably try to get me to fire you and Zexion if she heard of you two dating."

"Too bad she's not the one in charge," the sandy blonde smirked and gave Roxas a wink. The blonde smiled.

"No, she isn't. Whatever, I'm done talking about this nonsense," he waved a hand dismissively and Demyx chuckled. Roxas took another look around the room. "I'd just leave the room white, honestly. The kid isn't going to care."

"Yeah but your mom wants pink."

"I hate pink."

"Yeah it's not my favorite either."

"Maybe we should get Marluxia in here and he can splatter a bunch of flowers and bullshit on the walls," Roxas huffed. Demyx laughed.

"You're so cynical today, Rox."

"I've had a bad day. A lot has happened and I never got a chance to eat lunch or anything. It's going on three already," he said as he looked at his watch. "So yes, I'm grumpy, but I have shit to do," he grumbled. "Whatever, throw a bunch of girl stuff around and call it a day."

"Yes sir!"

***

Larxene was having a hard time accepting that her daughter was going to have her former lover's child. Not only was it absolutely disgusting that he was over thirty years her senior, but she refused to have an abortion now that she could hear the heartbeat. The mother sat across from Luxord at the bar in the game room and sulked.

"Is what she said true, love? Was he your favorite?" he asked in a careful tone, watching Larxene for any signs of exploding.

"I don't know what to say, Luxord. As horrible as it sounds, when I was with him, the first time around anyway, I felt very much like Namine does now. He could do no wrong, he was fantastic, Xemnas, the untouchable. Now, I can't think about him without having my skin itch," she admitted and looked at her Long Island iced tea. She took a drink and sighed.

"Do you still have feelings for him?"

"If by feelings you mean feelings of castration, then yes," she said with a small smile. Luxord stroked his goatee a little and decided to smile with her.

"I can live with that," he nodded. "I haven't exactly been a five star husband myself so I can't really argue with you."

"Why _did _you come back?" she asked and gave him a once over.

"Because not only did I have no one else to turn to, but I was extremely lonely and I really did miss you. We had fun together, didn't we?" he asked her with a youthful glittering in his eye. She smiled and blushed a little at the memories.

"We did. They were the happiest years of my life. Then I got stupid in ruined it," she huffed and set her drink aside. She took his hands in her own and smiled. "Thank you for being so forgiving. Now I know where Roxas gets it." Luxord laughed.

"Thanks love, you may not agree with his lifestyle but you have to admit he turned out pretty good." Larxene nodded.

"He and Cloud, definitely. Namine is too much like myself," she added with a frown.

"She'll learn eventually, she has to lose it all in order to find the value in anything. Hopefully it'll happen before she destroys any remnants of trust Roxas has left in her." Luxord leaned forward and laid a kiss on the tip of Larxene's nose and the woman smiled. "There it is," he said and grinned at her.

***

Roxas was diligently typing away at his computer as his downtrodden sister watched him with half-lidded eyes. He moved one hand away and lifted a sandwich to his mouth to take a bite and set it back on the keyboard to join the other one that never stopped. Xigbar sat quietly in the available seat, keeping an eye on things. The man hadn't said much the entire day because it really wasn't his place to do much outside of keeping physical injuries to a minimum. He just worked there. Though he did feel a massive amount of sympathy for Roxas and his family for what Namine was putting them through. He was disgusted just like everyone else.

Namine had learned a valuable lesson at the OBGYN today. Don't count your chickens before they hatch. She was devastated to find that she was having a girl but even worse, she couldn't bring herself to terminate it. She had taken almost a month at the Institute to come to grips with the fact that she was having a child and for what? To have everything come crashing down. Xemnas would never accept her. In addition to that, Riku, the one she really wanted, wouldn't take her if his father disapproved. Maybe she should have researched how to tie a proper noose with her pants.

"We're in agreement then?" Roxas asked after a long pause. His hands never stopped working. She nodded. "You're free to leave whenever you want, but I do _not_ want you doing anything outrageous while you're here. Is that clear? You will finish your schooling and move on with your life in order to take care of your child," he demanded. "If you leave, you're finished. You will not be allowed back here. I cannot deal with this anymore Namine. I'm tired of it and I have my own business to deal with."

"Yes Roxas."

"Do not pester Axel or Sora, or anyone else for that matter. Do not become a distraction. Do not drink. If I have any inclination that you're doing drugs again, I swear on all that I have I will take you out of my will and get a restraining order. You are not to have any contact with Xemnas or Riku. If they try to contact you, you will have it go through me or Xigbar. I'm not fucking around. I'm done," he growled. "I'm not giving you any money, so if you want any, you better get a job. The car, your phone, and your laptop are also mine. You can use my computer to do homework, but nothing else." She opened her mouth to protest and Xigbar reached out and put his hand on her arm to stop her. She shrunk back in her seat and sighed.

"Yes Roxas."

"Good, when I'm finished typing this up, I want you to sign it and I will make you a copy. Xigbar will sign as a witness. You're excused."

"Bu—"

"You're _excused_," he gave her a glare out of the corner of his eye. Namine nodded and got up to leave. He sighed and rubbed his eyes under his glasses. "I love you, Namine. But it has to stop." She nodded.

"I love you too, Roxas."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Axel couldn't sleep anymore. Unlike the brunette pressed up against him, he had actually gotten a full night's sleep if only to become exhausted again shortly after waking up. The fact remained that after an hour and a half of extra sleep, he just couldn't do it anymore. Sora started groping around in front of him a little in his sleep and Axel moved his arm into the line of fire. The smaller boy clasped onto it and pulled it to his chest with Axel's hand tucked under his face. The redhead winced as his bandages were crushed. He lay with Sora for a quiet minute before he felt a wetness form on his palm and trickle onto his wrist. The brunette was _drooling_ on him.

_Okay this isn't cute anymore_, he thought to himself. There were voices close to the door and Axel strained his ear to hear them without disturbing Sora. It was Roxas and Namine. They didn't sound angry at each other anymore which was a relief, but it made him all the more curious because the girl still needed to be punched. There was another lower voice that sounded like Xigbar. They talked for a few minutes together before Roxas and Xigbar were talking by themselves and they stopped in front of Axel's door.

"Oh really? I gotta see this," was all Axel could hear Xigbar say before Roxas pushed the door open some and the older man snorted. The redhead sighed and lifted his head to give them a glare. How dare Roxas make a spectacle of him, he felt. The blonde took the movement as his cue to come in and made his way next to the bed to look down at them. He crossed his arms over his chest and let a stack of papers dangle underneath them from his fingertips.

"Comfortable?" Roxas whispered. Axel shook his head.

"He's crushing my hand and drooling on me," he whispered back. Roxas smiled.

"Well, I still think it was very nice of you to help him sleep. I think he earned it."

"Yeah, he did. I don't want to make it a habit though, I didn't know he drooled," Axel added. Roxas shrugged. Sora shifted around and released Axel's arm before turning over and clamping onto his torso, the redhead sighed and wiped the drool off on Sora's shirt. The brunette must have registered that as a nice back rub because he smiled and nuzzled Axel's chest. Roxas stifled a laugh. He took the papers over to the door and handed them off to Xigbar who left without question. The blonde closed the door again and shuffled out of his shoes and took off his belt before sliding under the covers behind Sora. The brunette stirred and his eyes opened slowly. He blinked a few times before looking over his shoulder at the blonde.

"Roxxy?" he asked sleepily. He looked back to Axel's chest and startled a little before pulling his legs up between them and pushing the redhead away with his feet. Axel grunted as his innards were crushed and became confused. Sora turned over quickly and looked up at Roxas' face. "I'm sorry Roxxy! I know I said I wouldn't but I was just so tired!" he pleaded and the blonde smiled.

"It's alright," Roxas said and ran his fingers over the boy's chestnut spikes.

"Wouldn't what?" Axel asked, rubbing his stomach.

"Touch you without permission," the blonde added and Sora buried his face in Roxas' chest. The brunette sniffled and clung to the other boy.

"Oh. Well if I had known that I would've called you first or something," the redhead said. The blonde shrugged.

"It doesn't matter. As it turns out, I'm pretty tired myself so I may just take a turn. If that's alright." Axel nodded.

"Yeah. That's fine," he said quietly and got out of the bed. He padded out of the room and shut the door behind him.

***

The next morning, after his trip to the clinic, Axel was presented with an enormous plate of food for breakfast, far more than he usually had and more than anyone else would normally get. Demyx smiled and handed him his silverware. The redhead immediately became suspicious and glared at him.

"I can't eat all this," he protested. The sandy blonde's smile widened until he was showing teeth.

"Sure you can. Dig in."

"I'm not going to overstuff myself, Demyx."

"Roxas' orders, Axel. I just do as I'm told," he said simply. "You're what? Like six foot one? How much do you weigh?"

"One fifty something," Axel said gruffly around a mouthful of eggs.

"That's _dangerously_ close to being underweight on the BMI scale, my friend. You're barely over a nineteen in that regard and you're technically not out of puberty yet until you're in your twenties so you may still grow an inch or five." Axel quirked a brow at the man.

"I think I'm done growing, thanks."

"Just eat your food and quit bitching," Demyx said and smiled.

The man wouldn't leave Axel to his breakfast and made sure that he ate every last crumb off the plate. The redhead groaned and laid his head on the table, holding his stomach. He was going to punch Roxas in the nose the next time he saw him. He would kick him in the balls if later in life he found out he had some weird glandular problem that threw his thyroid out of whack and the blonde _still_ forced ten tons of food on him every meal. He knew the boy was worried about him but this was taking it a little too far out of Axel's comfort zone. He sluggishly dragged himself out of his chair and wobbled out of the dining room to walk some of the uncomfortable feeling off.

The hard lump in his stomach dissipated some after a while and Axel wandered the manor looking for something to do or help with. He stopped at the gym and peeked inside to see if anyone was there and sure enough there was, he just wasn't prepared for _who_ it was. Tifa was dressed in a tight red spandex half shirt that held her chest in place quite well, and black short shorts that barely covered her butt. She was barefoot and let out a yelp as she did a roundhouse kick into one of the giant blue pads Cloud wore on his arms. The taller blonde wore loose fitting black jersey shorts that hung past his knees and nothing else. They both looked incredibly focused and gazed intently at each other. Axel couldn't help but stare.

"Okay if you're not going to get serious we shouldn't even try," Cloud taunted and Tifa glared at him. He tossed the giant pads away and raised his own fists in an intimidating stance. He took a swing at her and she sighed and dodged easily. She tried to kick him in the stomach and he grabbed her ankle and held it for a brief moment before releasing her. She tried again with the other leg and he caught it and rolled his eyes at her before pulling her towards himself using the limb like a piece of rope. Tifa hopped along until she could curl her leg around his waist and hold unto him. "What's wrong?" he asked her and laced his fingers together behind her back from around her waist. She shrugged.

"Kind of depressed, I guess," she sighed. Cloud nodded but didn't say anything. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder. It was at this point she noticed Axel looking at them. She blinked in surprise and Cloud looked over and raised a brow. The redhead shrunk back a little and waved some. Tifa unwound her leg from around the blonde but didn't break their hug.

"Sorry," he apologized quickly. "I didn't mean to stare."

"It's okay. Did you want to join us?" Tifa asked with a warm smile. "You look like you could use a hug, too."

"I do?" the redhead questioned. The woman nodded and her smile widened. "How do you figure?" Axel was genuinely curious. He wasn't particularly upset with anything at that very moment but his stomach was still rather upset with him so maybe that was it.

"You just look tense and uncomfortable," she added. She pulled away from Cloud and the man watched her carefully as she went to the redhead and took his hand and led him into the gym fully. The door's spring pulled inward and the door clicked shut. Immediately, Axel's nerves fired and his hands began to sweat. His skin broke out in goosebumps and he was suddenly very aware that he was alone with them; Cloud and Tifa, virtual strangers, and with no one familiar around to hang around to let them do all the talking. He didn't know how to act and was terribly afraid he would open his mouth and the word vomit would come spilling fourth causing Cloud to deck him in the teeth. Then he remembered how high Tifa could kick and it didn't help him any. He swallowed thickly and focused on not tripping on his feet as he was pulled across the cushioned mats that lined the gym floor. Cloud raised a brow at him and gave him a hard look over.

"You look like you're going to pass out, are you sure you're okay?" he asked. Axel didn't look him in the eyes and instead focused on his collar bone as he approached the blonde. Tifa looked at him then too and she watched the redhead's face curiously.

"Maybe you should sit," she offered. Axel nodded some and lowered himself to sit on the mats, not trusting himself to be able to walk to a proper chair. Tifa walked calmly behind him and laid her hands on his shoulders and began to rub them gently. "You really_ are_ tense, did you want some water?" Axel shook his head and stared at the ground. Clouds feet came closer to him and the blond sat himself cross legged in front of the redhead and watched his face with a scrutinizing look. The redhead focused on his knee. He wrung his hands nervously and folded them in his lap, messed with them again then set them down again. Tifa's hands stopped working his shoulders over and she kneeled behind the redhead and draped her arms around his neck from behind. She leaned on him and he felt the soft squish of her breasts on his back. He wrung his hands again and tried not to focus on the feeling too much. She laid her face in his hair and sighed. "We're not scary, Axel. You can calm down."

"Yes you are," Axel blurted and immediately felt stupid. Tifa giggled and lifted an arm off of his neck to comb her fingers through his hair.

"I don't mean to be, I'm sorry," she apologized. The redhead closed his eyes and rubbed his brows between his thumb and index finger. He felt his hands shake a little before his hand was pushed away from his face and another larger hand was placed on his forehead. He froze and his eyes flew wide.

"He doesn't seem to have a fever," Cloud said calmly with his other hand pressed to his own forehead. "But I think you're killing him, Tifa." The woman didn't let up on her petting, ignoring the blonde. Cloud's hand moved to Axel's chin and the blonde pulled Axel's face up, forcing them to lock eyes as the man pushed his face around, inspecting him. "You're not okay, are you?" he asked.

"Socially retarded," the redhead blurted without being able to pull his eyes away from Cloud's face. The blonde gave him a small smirk.

"If it makes you feel any better, I am too; I'm just older and more experienced at dealing with it." He let go of Axel's face and sat back, balancing himself on his arms behind him.

"Cloud punched someone for trying to say hello before. The guy snuck up on him apparently and surprised him at a bar," the woman giggled. "We almost had a lawsuit."

"Yeah he didn't need to know that," the blonde added and gave her a little glare but she couldn't see it though Axel's hair.

"Sure he did, it makes you seem more human, sweetie. You scare people."

"I'm okay with that."

"I know you are but it makes it harder on me," she protested and Cloud sighed. With hearing their back and fourth, the redhead relaxed a little and was able to focus on other things versus his nerve crushing anxiety. For instance, he noticed his pants were pinching him. Between the petting, the breasts, and the incredible view of the taller blonde in front of him, it was sensory overload for his foggy mind and his body gave him no choice but react accordingly. He tried his best not to focus on the lines of Cloud's torso and forced his shoulders to relax. Tifa released his hair and rubbed his shoulders again and he wished she wouldn't do that because it was only making his problems worse. "That's better," she said. "See Cloud? It worked."

"Not without sacrificing some of my dignity anyway," he grumbled. Tifa's hands moved lower and ran between Axel's shoulder blades before hesitating when his skin changed in texture from his scabbing. He startled when he felt her fingers brush against the small of his back as she lifted his shirt without his permission. He fidgeted. She gasped happily.

"Oh look a phoenix!" she squeaked. "It's fresh, too," she said and ran a gentle finger over his bumpy skin. Cloud quirked a brow and pulled himself to Axel's side and leaned over to see. All Axel could see when he looked over was the lower half of Cloud's stomach, his shorts, and his legs. The redhead licked his lips nervously and stared intently at the tuft of hair that lead up Cloud's abdomen.

"That's a nice one, where'd you get it done at?" the blonde remarked. Behind Axel's back, Cloud looked up at Tifa and she followed his line of sight to Axel's face which was fixated on his torso. She smiled. The redhead swallowed and cleared his throat before trying to speak.

"Greece," he said simply.

"I've never been there, myself. Maybe I should if the artists are this good," he added and watched Axel's eyes carefully. Tifa leaned against the redhead again but didn't let his shirt fall back in place and her breasts squashed against his bare skin. She wrapped her arms around Axel's waist and laid her head between his shoulder blades. Her nicely trimmed fingernails tickled against his stomach absently as she played with a few stray hairs that lead out of the top of his pants. The redhead blinked and pulled his eyes away from Cloud and looked down at her fingers. His heartbeat sped up and she let out a breathy laugh against his skin. He sat up straight and tried to give her the hint to let him go, but she took that as an open invitation to move around him and sit herself in his lap and straddle his waist. He blinked in surprise as her breasts were suddenly all he could see. Even more surprising was the feeling of another warm body against his back as Cloud placed himself behind him and Axel was suddenly sitting between the taller blonde's legs. His shirt slowly slid down his back again and he froze.

"What's happening?" Axel asked with his voice just barely above a whisper. His skin was prickling everywhere and though his groin was responsive and willing, his mind was hopelessly confused with the sudden change in scenario. He let his hands sit limply on the mats, not trusting himself to let them move. Tifa smiled and ran her fingers through his hair again with a kind smile.

"We want you to play with us, Axel," she said quietly. A large hand slid around Axel's waist from behind him and down to his thigh and gave it a firm squeeze, his eyes widened as he tried to comprehend. Cloud shifted forward and Axel felt the warm press of the blonde's impressive girth against his lower back and the man's breath wove through his crimson hair and onto the nape of his neck.

"I-I can't. This isn't okay. What about Roxas?" he sputtered nervously. Tifa looked into his eyes calmly.

"I already asked him. He didn't give me any indication this wasn't okay with him." She kept her face serious and sincere so Axel would believe her, which he did, but he didn't want to. Roxas really said this was fine? He was always under the impression that the smaller blonde didn't want to share him with anybody. Then he remembered how guilty Roxas felt for asking Cloud something big, so maybe sharing Axel was his repayment? Was this his apology? Why him? They could have Sora, Axel didn't care about him, then he remembered that Tifa had enormous breasts that one couldn't help but notice and that the brunette would outright refuse. Cloud didn't give the redhead the impression he was into incest so it's not like they would ask Roxas for 'repayment' or Namine. So was he really the only alternative? Tifa's hands slid from his hair, down his face, past his chest, and came to rest on his zipper. Cloud's hands slid down his arms and lifted them, pushing them forward and causing the redhead's hands to come to rest on Tifa's hips. She smiled and blushed a little and she pulled on the metal tag some, and the sound of Axel's zipper running down thundered through his ears and he grabbed her wrists.

"Wait. Stop. I can't," he panted. Regardless of how genuine her admittance of asking Roxas was, he couldn't just let everything happen without talking to the smaller blonde himself. He shook his head and closed his eyes, blocking out all the views he was taking in. "I can't do this," he repeated. He released Tifa's wrists and she moved away from him and Cloud moved back as well. Axel rubbed his face. "I don't want to offend either of you. Believe me, you're both incredibly hot, but I can't do this without talking to Roxas myself. I'm sorry," he blurted without thinking. His brain to mouth filter was full of huge holes at the moment and he couldn't stop himself from vomiting out everything that was running through his mind. He stood on watery legs and readjusted himself in his pants before zipping his fly and walking out before he gave himself the chance to say anything else, leaving them to themselves.

***

"What's wrong?" Roxas asked as Axel stalked across the study, his cheeks flushed and his breath heightened. The redhead rounded the desk and shoved Roxas' seat around and descended on the blonde's mouth with his own. Axel swept his tongue between the smaller boys' lips and tasted him, reassuring himself that he was with Roxas right now and not pressed between the other two, having a heart attack. After he had his fill, he released the blonde and Roxas leaned back in his chair looking up at him with surprised eyes. "Okay. But I still don't understand what's wrong." The redhead kneeled, reaching forward to pull Roxas to the edge of his seat and laid his face on the blonde's stomach, hugging him around the waist. Instinctively, the boy's fingers started to run through his hair and Axel let out a breath.

"Your brother and Tifa just dropped a huge bomb on me," he admitted quietly. Roxas' fingers froze; he knew exactly what that meant.

"They want you to join them yes?" the blonde asked carefully. Axel looked up at his face.

"So Tifa really _did_ ask you?"

"She did," he nodded.

"And you're okay with that?"

"I'm not sure what I'm okay with, honestly. I know I don't want to share you but I also want you to enjoy yourself fully." Roxas didn't know how to word his uncertainties to the redhead just yet so he blamed it on himself instead for guessing what Axel wanted. He also felt that the way he thought about their relationship might offend and scare the redhead away from him and he wanted that even less.

"What did you tell her?"

"I didn't necessarily give her a clear yes or no, and that was my first mistake. She must have interpreted it her own way. I overheard them talking afterward and they referred to Leon as like their third piece and Tifa wanted to share that feeling with Cloud one more time before they moved on, since Leon is gone now. My brother seemed against it, which is why I didn't think I needed to tell you any more details since I didn't think they would try. Apparently I was wrong. I should have said something to you. Then again it might have never happened had I just told Cloud about Leon in the first place and gave him the proper time to mourn. It's my fault, I'm sorry." the blonde sighed. Axel took a moment to process what Roxas said.

"So you're not okay with it?" he asked.

"If you want to, go ahead. I'm not going to restrict you like that."

"That's not what I asked."

"I…" the smaller boy started and sighed. Axel watched his face closely. "I can't give you everything, Axel. I know you've had relationships with women before and if you have the urge to sleep with one, even if it's in conjunction with my brother, then I can live with it because it's something I can't give you myself." Roxas seemed to be having an internal strife with himself and Axel wasn't sure how to take his confession. He wondered if the boy really meant what he was saying or if he was forcing himself to say it in order to make himself believe it. Either way, it didn't sit right with Axel.

"You don't have to give me _everything_, Roxas. I've done nothing but take from you. I'm asking if you're okay with it. Honestly, truly, okay with the idea. Think about it," Axel averted his eyes away from the blonde's face so he didn't have to be intimidated in order to be honest under his gaze. He resettled his head on the boy's abdomen and waited for his response. Roxas was silent for a long moment before he let out a long breath and Axel saw his hand move up to his face and heard the boy sniffle. He looked up again and saw that Roxas had his lower lip curled in between his teeth and tears pouring out of his eyes with a quivering chin. He shook his head slowly.

"I'm not okay with it," he choked out and Axel immediately rose from his position and pulled the boy off the chair and into his arms. Roxas flopped into his lap and heaved a sob into the redhead's chest, clinging to his shirt helplessly. "I'm so sorry, Axel, I'm so selfish," he sputtered and shook. Axel furrowed his brows together at the new sounds the smaller boy was making. He didn't like them and he pushed Roxas' face into his chest to muffle them. The smaller boy pulled himself further up the redhead's legs and laid his head in the crook of Axel's neck, wrapping his arms around his neck and winding his legs around his waist. Axel laid his cheek against Roxas' head and smoothed his hands up and down the boy's back to calm his cries.

"You're not selfish. Everyone has things they don't like Roxas, and this is no different. You give and give and give and give and sometimes you need to keep a little for yourself, that's not selfishness, that's self-preservation and its _normal_," Axel cooed into the boy's hair. "I've taken too much from you as it is, it'd be nice if I can give something in return. I just never know what to give because you never let me know what you need," he took Roxas' face in between his hands and ran his thumbs under the boy's giant watering sapphire orbs to clear the tears away. Axel smiled. "Okay?" The blonde took and breath and blinked a few times before nodding slightly. "Good." He hugged the boy again Roxas sniffled against his collar bone a few times, settling against him. The blonde took a deep breath and let it out slowly before leaning back. The redhead laced his fingers behind the small of the boy's back and held him steady. Roxas pulled his sleeve into the palm of his hand and wiped at his face, he sniffed hard against his dripping nose. He looked to Axel and blushed a little, smiling slightly and huffing a brief laugh.

"Well that was embarrassing," he said and blinked the extra tears out and wiped them away as well. Axel smiled.

"You're mascara is running," he quipped and Roxas slapped him on the chest but laughed with him anyway. After his cheeks were dry, Roxas checked his sleeve to see how much damage he had done and folded his hands in his lap. Axel simply sat back and watched him sit, completely satisfied to wait for the blonde to say something.

"Are you hungry? It's almost lunchtime," the boy said and smiled. Axel quirked a brow.

"Oh yeah, I'm _starving_ after that obnoxious breakfast," he said sarcastically. "Which, by the way, almost killed me. I hope you're happy."

"You ate it all, right?"

"Begrudgingly. Demyx wouldn't let me leave until I did."

"Good. Let's get lunch."

"I'm scared to," the redhead huffed.

"You'll be fine."

"If my stomach ruptures you have to pay my medical bills."

"I would even if it wasn't my fault," Roxas said pleasantly with a wide smile.

"Don't get cute with me, I'm serious. Don't kill me."

"But I _am_ cute," he insisted and batted his eyes at the redhead, who gave him an uninterested face and a scowl. Inside, his heart was about to burst at the blonde's look of flushed cheeks and enormous blue eyes batting long bronze eyelashes at him.

***

"Axel!" Sora squealed and sat on the dip of the redhead's back, not only crushing his overfilled stomach but causing the scabs on his back to pinch relentlessly. He groaned.

"I'm going to punch you in the dick if you don't get off of me, Sora," he spat. The brunette pushed down a little more with his hips before stepping off of him. Axel grunted and held his stomach. "I hate you so much right now," he added and the brunette giggled.

"I don't believe you."

"Believe it."

"Maybe later, I wanna do stuff. Roxxy is being boring."

"Why do you say that?"

"He's helping Marly fix up the hot tub." Axel's interest was instantly piqued.

"Hot tub? I didn't know they had a hot tub."

"Oh yeah. It's just covered in about two feet of snow right now."

"Oh, it's out _there_. Yuck, no thanks."

"Aw come on! It's not that cold today."

"Which brings up the point of why they have the tub outside if it's only nice enough to walk to it in the summer; who wants to trudge through the snow? Furthermore who wants to sit in the hot tub in the summer heat?"

"It's not _that_ far out, silly. Besides, I'm going out there just so I can see Cloud in his swim trunks. It was his and Tifa's idea to dig the thing out," Sora swooned and held his face in between his hands. "Oh man, hot guy in swim trunks with hard nipples." Axel laughed.

"You can have him. They're looking for someone to have a threesome with anyway," he said. He wasn't sure he should have told the brunette that but he wanted to see his reaction.

"With Tifa?"

"Yeah."

"Damnit," he huffed. "She's such a deal breaker. Go ahead and jump on that, I'll sit in the corner and jerk off."

"Too much information, Sora," the redhead said and ran his hand over his face.

"How do you know they're looking for one anyway?"

"They asked me, sort of."

"And you _refused_!?"

"Yeah."

"You're an idiot."

"I like to think I'm dedicated," Axel smiled at the brunette's dissatisfaction.

"Did you at least get to feel Cloud up?"

"Sort of," he said before he could stop himself, he threw a hand over his mouth to prevent himself from going any further and Sora squealed and launched himself over Axel to sit next to him on the other side of the bed.

"Gossip time! Okay go!" he clapped and giggled.

"You know for hating women so much you sure act like one som—ow," he grunted when Sora slapped him on the chest. Axel glared at the brunette and rubbed where he was hit.

"Tell me he's huge," he demanded and leaned forward. Axel sighed.

"I'm not telling you anything," he huffed. Sora's mouth dropped open and he gaped at the taller boy.

"You're such a tease," he whined.

"Go offer yourself up to them and see where it gets you."

"But… _Tifa_."

"Sorry," Axel said and shrugged. He sat up and Sora made a whine before slapping Axel on his scabs. The redhead let out a pained yelp and whirled on the brunette with eyes full of fiery rage. Sora squeaked and tried to scramble away from him but Axel grabbed onto the brunette's pants and pulled him across the comforter.

"No! I'm sorry!" Sora squealed and Axel stuffed his hands in the back of the boy's pants to grab onto the boy's underwear. Axel yanked his blue boxers up and out swiftly, giving Sora and enormous wedgie that lifted him off the bed. The brunette yelped loudly. The door flew open and Roxas was in the doorway with wide, worried eyes. He saw Sora's underwear balled up in Axel's fists and started to snicker.

"Did you seriously just give him a wedgie? You're such a bully." the blonde laughed. The redhead dropped the brunette to the mattress on his stomach and Sora whined, curling up on his side and rubbing his hands over his butt. He wiggled away from Axel's glare and picked at his pants with a frown.

"I think they're fused to my skin," the brunette remarked.

"You deserved it," Axel growled.

"Yeah but you should tell me the details anyway," Sora said with a grin. He shifted around and ended up having to shove his hand completely down his pants to get the fabric to come out of his cheeks. "Roxxy is the tub ready?"

"It will be after dinner," he said and entered the room, walking to the bed. "Are you okay?" he asked the brunette. Sora nodded.

"Yeah, I totally did deserved it, so it's okay," he grinned and the blonde quirked a brow at Axel. The redhead shrugged.

***

Tifa should have been wearing a one piece bathing suit. She _really_ should have. At the very least, her slinky string bikini was a very effective Sora deterrent but it still made Axel feel horribly uncomfortable. She leaned against Cloud and he laid his head against hers letting his eyes close, as they relaxed together in the bubbling water in one corner of the tub. Axel was sitting in a jetted seat in the opposite corner, Roxas was in the seat next to him and Sora was in one of the free corners in between the pairs. There was a tense silence held between them all and brunette boy's eyes darted between the pair and Axel, watching. Roxas sat quietly for the longest time before sighing and beginning to speak.

"I want to apologize," the blonde said and Cloud's eyes opened and flicked to his younger brother. Tifa gave him her attention as well. "I didn't mean to make it seem like Leon's death didn't matter. I should have thought ahead and told you two immediately when I had the chance to. There's nothing I can do to make it up to you but I hope you'll both forgive me."

"Well, I should probably stay in contact more if I want the latest updates on things, so you're not entirely to blame. You probably don't remember I exist most days and that's my fault for distancing myself," Cloud said. "Thank you for your apology, I accept it." Tifa nodded.

"I do too. Thank you Roxas." The smaller blonde nodded and reclined back in his seat, letting out a relieved sigh. Tifa and Cloud looked to each other before the woman looked to Axel. "We should probably apologize to you, Axel," she said. "We didn't mean to make you so uncomfortable, there was obviously a miscommunication somewhere and we thought that everything was okay to move forward, but based on your reaction we saw that it clearly wasn't," she continued. Cloud nodded in agreement. Axel smiled.

"Okay," he said. Under the water, Roxas took his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"How long will you two stay with us?" Roxas asked. "Namine is home now but you're welcome to stay as long as you like." Tifa shrugged, Cloud looked thoughtful.

"I'd like to stay and catch up for the full two weeks like I said I could. If that's alright. Unless something catastrophic happens we should be alright to stay," the taller blonde said. Roxas nodded.

"Good. I'm glad." They all made idle chit chat together for a good while before Sora huffed and decided to leave. He didn't give any reason as to why he was leaving but he did, and he seemed unhappy about it. Axel could only surmise that the brunette was becoming more frustrated that Tifa was all over Cloud instead of himself. After another stint of talking, Cloud and Tifa decided to leave as well. Axel turned to Roxas and smiled.

"Getting too warm yet?" he asked. The blonde shook his head.

"The cold offsets everything and it's working for me so far," he said and switched to another seat. The blonde lifted a small plastic door and poked a few buttons from underneath it and the bubbles and jets calmed some in their intensity. Axel was fine with that; he could barely feel his back anymore it had been beaten by the water so much. Roxas made his way back to the redhead's side. Before he could sit and settle back, Axel snaked an arm around the smaller boy's waist and pulled him through the water to sit on his lap. Roxas reclined back against the redhead and sighed heavily.

"Problems?" Axel asked.

"Relieved. Sort of."

"Oh. Well that's nice for a change, isn't it?"

"Yes. It is indeed." Roxas smiled and reached behind him to grab Axel's wrists and settled the redhead's hands on his stomach. He patted them lightly with his own and held them in place. Axel smiled and laid a kiss in the blonde's hair. "Hey Axel?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think things will ever be normal?"

"Normal like how? Like settled or like white-picket-fence normal?"

"Settled."

"Well, I don't know. There are still a lot of problems floating around that haven't been resolved yet. But I can't see them lasting forever. Why do you ask?" The blonde hesitated and took his time to process his thoughts some and listen to Axel's breathing. He took a breath before speaking.

"I'd like to be able to live my life for once. I'd like to be able to go out and do something with someone and not be thrust into some horrible situation. I'd like to be able to take my lover places and not have him assaulted. I'd like to be able to be able to become an uncle under normal circumstances. I'd like my mother and father to be happy with each other again. I'd like my brother to become part of my life officially. I'd like my friend to become more independent. I'd like my sister to be safe. I'd like to have it all happen before I turn nineteen if possible so I can just move past it and live the rest of my life the way _I_ want to, like a normal person does. I don't want to spend my youth pissing away the time having to deal with other people's problems because people our age are supposed to be having fun and going to school and preparing for a life of relative normalcy. I'm done with the other stuff. I don't want it anymore." Roxas sighed again and took Axel's hands and pulled them up to his chest to curl them under his chin. "I don't like death, I don't like abuse, I don't like failure, I don't like blame, I don't like betrayal, I don't like uncertainty, and I hate it when I can't do anything to avoid it all." He pulled one of Axel's hands to his face and leaned his cheek against the fingers. "I'm just one person, why am I expected to do so much?"

"Because other people are weak."

"Weak?"

"Weak people rely on others for constant help and for the others to fix their problems for them, myself included. You're the only one I know that isn't relying on people to fix your problems for you. You pay people to do the little stupid things like clean the house or whatever, but when it boils down to what's really happening around you, you're the only one standing on your feet. It's a burden. One I've considered lessening by leaving."

"Leaving?" Roxas turned around and Axel opened his legs so the boy's waist dipped between them so he could comfortably lean on the redhead's chest. "I don't want you to do that."

"So long as I can keep myself under control, I don't want to either."

"You can't leave," Roxas insisted with furrowed brows. Axel looked down at him with a wavering smile.

"I'm not going anywhere just yet, but I'm still trying to hold down a bunch of demons and if I lose control of that, I can't assure you that I'll stay. I'm only strong enough to deal with myself; I get totally stupid when it comes to other people. You know that, which is why if it becomes too much, I'm not going to put you through it," the redhead admitted past the lump in his throat. Roxas' eyes glossed over some as he thought about what he said. His eyes darted back and fourth over Axel's face searching for any solace, something to give him peace or tell him that it was all a horrible farce. The possibility that Axel would leave, for any reason, had never crossed his mind. The prospect of going to school with this new information and possibly dredging up Axel's old demons became even more daunting than he had originally thought. How much could Axel take before he decided enough was enough and he would feel obligated to leave? Roxas swallowed thickly and took a breath. His practical mind was flipping though all the things he could promise to the redhead in order to get him to stay even if something happened. He could offer Axel anything his money could buy and he still wasn't sure it would be enough if Axel's guilt became too much. He couldn't give the redhead his parents back or take back anything that's happened to him in an effort to offer some of his previous security. Roxas was at a loss as to what to do.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Axel squinted at the piece of paper in his hand. It had the names of his classes, his professors, and a bunch of numbers that meant nothing to him but happened to match the numbers on the little tag hanging below the shelf of books in front of him. He looked at the course, the book, the course, and then the book again and decided that this was the one he needed for his Composition class. He squinted back at his paper and scanned the placards hanging from the ceiling and meandered towards the one that said 'HUM.' He was studying the books looking for the one that would point towards 'Humanities' versus 'Human Services' which he didn't need. Someone poked him on his shoulder and he startled.

"Oops, sorry!" was the quick apology, the voice sounded familiar but when Axel turned around he couldn't put the name to the face. "I thought I recognized that hair. How have you been, Axel? It's been months!" a very kind and chubby boy said to him with a grin.

_Fuck. I don't remember his name_, Axel thought to himself. "I've been good, how have you and everyone else been?" He smiled, hoping to hide his uncertainty. He remembered a group, but not many names.

"Oh we've been fine, you know how it is. I'm only here to take an early Literature course; everyone else is still stuck in high school. How's Namine?"

"She's been better," he said. He wasn't out to protect her reputation any.

"Oh yeah? Why's that? Did something happen? I haven't talked to her in a while, not since Selphie went missing anyway." Axel blinked a little. It was odd to talk to someone outside of the demented world he was living in. The boy in front of him had no idea about the things surrounding any of the people he was living with and it struck him as such a foreign idea. There was an outside world still?

"She's pregnant," he said finally and the boy's mouth dropped open.

"No way! It isn't yours is it?"

"Hell no! Oh god," he almost gagged; what a horrible suggestion. Women were fine but there was no way he was touching _that_ cesspool. There was a tuft of blonde hair the peeked over the shelving unit in the next aisle over and Axel was relieved when Roxas came around the corner with his arms full of books.

"Hello Pence, I haven't seen you in a while," the blonde said with a mechanical smile that Axel knew was forced.

_Pence! That was it!_ Axel rejoiced mentally. He was saved.

"Hey Roxas. Axel just told me about your sister's baby, are you excited?" The redhead's eyes flicked to the blonde for any sign that he was angry he told Pence about it. To his surprise, Roxas grinned wide and tilted his head to the side and let out a twitter of a laugh.

"Of course! Who wouldn't be excited to be an uncle?" he said. Axel was quick to realize that Roxas was a _very_ good actor.

"That's great! When is she due? I should send a card or something."

"May fourteenth. I'm sure she would love to hear from you."

"Great. I'll do that. Nice seeing you guys, I have to get going."

"Alright, keep in touch," Roxas said and waved some as the boy left. "Did you find your books?" he asked when he turned to the redhead.

"Ah, most of them. I almost want to go find more people so you become a puppet again that was pretty fascinating," Axel grinned. Roxas waved his hand dismissively.

"Public appearances, Axel. Public appearances," he said simply.

"You're okay with me telling him about Namine?" he asked. Roxas shrugged.

"Yes. Just don't bring up Sora or his siblings."

"Right." Axel went back to studying the shelves and Roxas waited patiently for him to finish. After finding all the books on the list, they purchased them and made their way through the halls, looking for their classrooms. A couple of the professors they were assigned to were in the rooms conversing with other staff members and they all greeted each other and everything was going smoothly. On their way to find Roxas' last class, there was a squealing, painfully familiar voice running towards them and a body collided into Axel's back. He staggered forward a few inches and dropped the bags that carried his books.

"Oh my gosh! Axel! Hi! It's been a while!" Roxas observed the girl that clung to the redhead like he was the lifeblood of the earth. She was about as tall as he was, and about as blonde as he was but her hair exploded from her head and hung back in chunks of varying lengths some of which went past her knees. He couldn't see her eyes but he was willing to bet they were blue, just like his as well. She wore about sixty pounds of chains and colorful necklaces and bracelets and a bandanna that made her hair stick up even worse. Roxas couldn't tell who was more hyper, this girl, or Sora. Axel smiled down at her and hugged her back lightly. She huffed. "You don't see me for over a year and you give me a half-assed hug like that? What the hell?" The redhead looked at Roxas quickly and the blonde boy shrugged. He grinned down at the girl.

"Of course not," he said kindly and hugged her properly. "How have you been, Rikku?" Roxas raised a brow at the name. The girl hopped back a step happily and folded her hands behind her back.

"Well if you _must _know, I'm fabulous! How have you been? You look a lot healthier since I saw you last. You gained weight," she said. Axel cleared his throat some and looked down at the linoleum floor.

"Ah yeah. I did. Thanks. What have you been up to?"

"Oh this and that, really. Graduated, moved out, not much else. Did you want to get together sometime? Rekindle?" she watched his face carefully. He flicked his eyes over to Roxas who didn't give him any sort of readable expression. Rikku followed the redhead's eyes and noticed Roxas for the first time. "Oh! Hi there!" she squeaked and rushed over to Roxas.

"Hello," the boy said. He noted that her eyes weren't blue, but green.

"I'm Rikku!"

"Roxas."

"I assume you're Axel's friend?"

"Yes."

"Do you hang out with Willow too?" she asked curiously. Roxas raised a brow at her. Axel appeared behind the girl and put his hand on her shoulder.

"How is Paine?" Axel asked, changing the subject. The girl turned away from Roxas and smiled up at Axel.

"She's good. She still asks about you every now and again, you know. You should call her and tell her you're out of the pokey."

"I wasn't in the pokey, Rikku," Axel laughed.

"Yeah well, it's the same thing."

"Almost, yeah, but they have a door to the bathroom where I was," the redhead added. The girl giggled. She looked to Roxas and then back to Axel. She wiggled a curled finger at him and he stooped to listen to her. She cupped a hand around the redhead's ear and whispered something to him. Roxas thought she was being incredibly rude but didn't let it show on his face. Axel listened for a moment before his jaw dropped a little and he snorted. He stood again and the girl had a grin spread over her face. "I'm going to have to say 'no' on that one, you're nuts," Axel said calmly but smiled a little. She laughed.

"Yeah maybe a little but let me know. It'd be great fun, I guarantee it."

"Tempting, but no," Axel repeated. Rikku shrugged and pulled out a small piece of paper from her pocket and felt around her other pocket before producing a pencil. She scribbled something on the scrap and handed it to Axel.

"Call me!" she chirped as she skipped down the hall, waving over her shoulder. She disappeared around the corner and Roxas was horribly confused. Axel went to pick up his books again after pocketing the piece of paper.

"Mind explaining that one?" Roxas asked him as they resumed walking.

"Not here," Axel said. Roxas furrowed his brows.

***

"It's a little awkward talking about this with you, Roxas," Axel sighed.

"Well it's true isn't it?" Roxas insisted. "Were _all_ of your past girlfriends blonde and quirky?"

"Aurora was older and a Barbie doll and Alice was very quiet and shy. Yes they were all blonde, relatively short compared to me, and had blue eyes except for Rikku. I'm a one trick pony. I'm sorry," the redhead was mortified that he had to admit the theme he tended to stay on in terms of partners, he pulled a pillow over the back of his head and squashed his face into the mattress.

"Well what about guys?" Roxas insisted and pulled the pillow away from him. Axel reached for another one and replaced it. The blonde tried to pull that one away as well but the redhead held tight.

"Don't make me list them, please, I'd rather forget they existed," the taller boy protested. Roxas sighed.

"How many?" he asked instead. Axel didn't answer him; the redhead pulled his legs up under him until his knees touched his chin and he kept the pillow in place. "How many?" the blonde asked again. When the redhead didn't answer him he put his foot on the taller boy's side and nudged him. "Axel!" The redhead decided to pull a Sora trick and tunnel under the blankets, moving as far away from Roxas as he could but still be on the bed. The blonde let out an exasperated sigh, he was getting frustrated. "You're not hiding any diseases you got from these people, are you?"

"I had Chlamydia once. But nothing now," the redhead offered. Roxas scrunched up his nose at that confession, not that Axel could see.

"I'm not trying to attack you, Axel but I'm curious. I know next to nothing about you other than what happened to your parents and what was in your record. You don't have to tell me all the meaningless details, I just want to know how many," the blonde said as calmly as he could. There was another moment of silence from the redhead and he eventually sighed, muttering something incoherent. "I didn't hear you," Roxas said.

"Thirty-seven," Axel repeated quietly. Roxas let out a surprised grunt but stifled any further outburst.

"Thirt—okay… partners or relationships?"

"Partners."

"How many relationships?" There was another hesitation from the redhead. Roxas sighed. "Don't make me repeat myself again please, it's getting tiresome."

"Just one."

"Fine," the blonde said and crossed his arms. "Do you think your other relationships will show up out of nowhere like Rikku did?"

"Hopefully just the one guy will."

"Hopefully? Why do you say that?" Roxas asked, not bothering to hide his sudden anger.

"Because I like him a lot."

"Oh you do, do you? Well that's just fantastic. Why don't you just go to him? See if I care," the blonde barked and threw up his hands. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was Axel just taking advantage of him? Was he just the redhead's plaything?

"I can't, I'm afraid he'll think I'm disgusting, plus he's mad at me," the redhead said after another pause. "Though I suppose I deserve it, I should have told him more about myself before he happened to meet Rikku."

"What does Ri—Oh. Wait. I get it," Roxas said sheepishly. It took him a minute to absorb what Axel was saying. He sighed and lifted the covers up and dove inside. Axel was lying on his side with his back to the blonde when Roxas found him. "I'm sorry I got angry so quickly."

"You had a good reason," the redhead sighed without turning to face him. "I've done a lot of stuff I'm not proud of, Roxas. It's hard for me to admit it all because I don't want to ruin everything so for now, can I just keep it to myself? I'll try not to let everything explode at once."

"One more question?"

"Okay."

"Who's Willow?" the blonde watched the gentle rise and fall of Axel's breathing halt at the mention of the name. He realized that Willow must be a big deal to him and moved forward and laid an arm over him and pressed his forehead to the redhead's back. There was a long pause and the blonde was wondering if Axel was trying to suffocate himself in order to avoid answering. Eventually the taller boy let out the breath he was holding and sighed.

"She was my dealer," he said timidly. Immediately Roxas had another dozen questions for the redhead but he thought it best not to push him on the subject lest he stir up the demons Axel had mentioned a few days prior which he was afraid of.

"Okay," he said simply. The air between them was tense and it made Roxas' skin crawl. They lay together under the covers for so long in complete silence that the blonde was starting to doze off. He awoke again when Axel moved to itch his arm absently. Roxas quickly thought of something to say. "I don't think you're disgusting."

"Yeah well I feel pretty disgusting."

"What can I do to help you with that?"

"I don't know," the redhead said and rubbed his neck. "It's more of a personal problem; I don't think you can do much to help." The blonde was starting to get annoyed that he couldn't see Axel's face while he was talking about himself like this. He slid his hand down and pulled on the redhead's hip and Axel rolled onto his back. He grabbed a belt loop on the opposite hip and pulled that and the redhead rolled onto his side. Roxas pushed himself up so he could look Axel in the eyes.

"There," he said and reached up and laid a hand on Axel's cheek. The taller boy's face was blank and his eyes were glossed over, unregistering. Roxas furrowed his brows together and glared at him. "Stop it."

"What?"

"Looking so dazed."

"I _am_ dazed. I started thinking about so many things at once my brain shut off," Axel said absently. Roxas wasn't one for talking about emotional things and he really couldn't think of much of anything to tell the redhead that would give him much solace. After a moment of racking his brain and coming up with nothing, he remembered what Axel had requested of him towards the end of their trip in Greece. He supposed he could wake him up that way. Roxas gathered all of his fizzled, anxiety ridden nerves and decided to go for it in order to make Axel feel less disgusting. Roxas started to pull the covers down from the top of the bed until they were all scrunched up at the bottom of the bed, uncovering them. The redhead blinked at all the activity but stayed in place. The longer Roxas thought about Axel hating himself for something he couldn't even change at this point in time, the more frustrated he became.

"Fine. You don't believe you're not disgusting? Whatever. I'll show you you're not," the blonde huffed. He sat up and pulled the redhead away from the edge of the bed by his pants. Axel was surprised at the other boy's sudden change in temper and roughness and wasn't sure if he should protest or just wait and see. He grunted as Roxas shoved him back and sat on his thighs.

"What're you doing?" Axel asked with a raised brow. The blonde didn't answer him; instead he kept his face dauntingly serious as he pulled his shirt over his head in one swift movement. "Roxas?" the redhead questioned again. The blonde ignored his questioning again and started to undo Axel's pants. The redhead grabbed his wrists. "Seriously, Roxas. I'm not really in the mood, okay?" The smaller boy stopped and locked eyes with the other. Axel was taken aback by the expression of desperation on Roxas' face. He looked lost, like he was unsure of what was going to happen. Axel sighed and let go of him. Roxas slumped a little and looked away.

Suddenly, the door flew open and Sora was strolling into Roxas' bedroom before either boy had time to protest. He was whistling to himself but the tune slowly faded away as he drew closer to the bed and took in the sight, keeping his lips pursed. A topless Roxas sitting on Axel with his fingers tucked under the top hem of the redhead's jeans and both of them glaring angrily at him meant that they were _busy_ and didn't want him there. Did he care? Not really. They should have locked the door if they were serious.

"Playtime?" the brunette asked and grinned.

"Go away, Sora," Roxas ordered. "We're having a discussion."

"Can I join? I like _discussions_."

"No."

"You know I would believe you more if you had locked the door. You know how rude I am."

"Yes I'm aware of that."

"Good. So it's settled, I'm staying."

"No, get out," Roxas ordered again and pointed towards the door with a harsh glare. Axel sighed and laid back and stared up at the ceiling, he was done for the day; he didn't want to deal with anything anymore. Having to admit his past affairs and airing even just a piece of his dirty laundry to Roxas made him feel numb and not care anymore; angry at himself if he decided to put an emotion to it. It was oddly similar to the latter part of his middle school years and all of high school. Huh, funny how that worked.

"He looks upset," Sora remarked. "Did you break him?" he asked curiously and went to the foot of the bed and smoothed the mound of blankets down to peer over Axel. As asinine as the question sounded, it resonated with the blonde. He felt like he did break him, if just a little.

"Maybe," Roxas said.

"Owies, maybe I can help."

"No. Leave."

"You didn't even give me a chance," the brunette whined. He gave Roxas a pout before looking down at Axel who was staring through him and focusing on the ceiling. "What do you say, Axel? Can I help?" Jade eyes flicked to the brunette briefly before he shrugged.

"I don't know what you're offering to do, but whatever. I'm not in the mood for anything you probably want to do to me."

"Aw! The one time he complies with me and you have to break him, Roxxy. What gives?" Sora huffed.

"I didn't mean to, it was the last thing I wanted to do, believe me," Roxas responded and got off of the redhead and stood on the bed. He walked across it and stepped off. Axel sat up. "How's your back, Axel? Did you need anything for it?" he asked, trying to steer the mood towards something more neutral.

"Flaky and itchy, but I'm fine," the redhead said and stared at his toes. Sora looked between them several times with a face of utter confusion. Weren't they just getting ready to screw? What's the problem?

"I'm lost, guys. What's up?" the brunette admitted.

"Nothing," they said in sync.

"Liars," Sora denied. Axel pushed himself off the bed and made his way to the door, when it clicked shut behind him the brunette turned to Roxas. "Did you kick him in the nads or something? Good gravy that was terrible." The blonde sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. He didn't respond to Sora's statement. He pulled his shirt on again and bypassed his friend to leave.

***

Axel exhaled the last of his cigarette and snuffed it out in his ashtray. He reached down and set the little green disk on the concrete of the garage and rested his forehead against the steering wheel. It would be so easy to ask someone for their phone and call Rikku up and accept her offer. At least then his immense feeling of worthlessness would be warranted. All Roxas wanted was to get to know him better so why was that so difficult? He could just blurt every last horrible detail out to the blonde and let Roxas deal with it any way he wanted. The result would probably be the same, he'd be disgusted, not touch him for weeks, and then Axel would probably leave.

He didn't want to leave. Even more so, he didn't want to get reacquainted with past flings and have them invade his life again and by consequence, Roxas' life. The blonde didn't deserve that sort of mistreatment especially since it was completely out of his element and wouldn't know how to tell those kinds of people off efficiently enough. What if the redhead taught him? What if he exposed his partner or every little aspect like he probably wanted? Would he be able to cope? It wouldn't be a picturesque atmosphere like a board meeting would be, to say the least. There would be wretched people around him that would paw over him like he was a piece of meat just because he was clean and untouched looking. Sharp things, fire, pillows of smoke, glow sticks, and loud music. Gravel driveways, homes that haven't been cleaned in years, smells, sights, sounds and sensations that would make Roxas' hair and skin turn black with dirt. Did he really want to push that on the blonde to make him understand? Make him see that Axel really wasn't all that great as he made himself look, which wasn't saying much to begin with he felt.

The atmosphere he came from, though it was nice enough at home, was the complete and polar opposite of what Roxas was used to. An entire world away in some respects. Where he came from, you didn't always buy things with _money_, you bought them with _yourself_. You sold out your sanity and pieces of your soul for just one more hit, one more taste, one more stamp. Just so you could feel the numbness and the euphoria that kept you missing from your parent's secure arms for a few days. Just a few, never more than a week. Or a month. If you were lucky enough to hang onto a job, you didn't have to steal from your parents, your friends, the strangers. You could just make your own money and not have to sell yourself, which made you everyone's friend if you could lend them a quick buck. You could probably even donate towards your hospital bills if you friend were sober enough to take you, though you never did. Axel couldn't even have consensual sex with the blonde without feeling like he was taking something away from him, ripping a part of his innocence, his purity away. How could he ever think to have the blonde exposed to everything else?

The redhead ran his fingers over the leather of his seat and gazed at the computer system jammed into the dashboard. He had no idea what all those buttons did. He was afraid to try them, to get acquainted, to make friends with it because he wasn't sure how to act. He didn't know how to tip toe around the details, the important things, the things that made him so nervous, and the things he was afraid to talk about. Could he really even make it through school? Or would that be a waste of time too? He had listened to Roxas before. The blonde wanted to solve his problems before he turned nineteen so he could move on and live a little. Breathe a little. Survive. Axel wasn't sure he could get over his issues in less than a year and feared he would hold the blonde back from achieving what he wants. The only thing he's ever truly asked for.

Axel closed his eyes and listened to the light movement of air through the garage waft through the open door of his car. Though he wasn't used to the vehicle, sitting in it made him feel like it was a very real possibility that he could drive away and let Roxas have some peace. If only he had the keys.

"You're going to leave a mark on your forehead if you lean any harder on that," came a voice. Axel startled and sat up quickly with wide eyes. It was Xigbar. The redhead blinked and rubbed his forehead. The older man chuckled a little. "Why are you out here smoking? You're usually out back." Axel shrugged.

"Seemed like an okay place, I guess."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"Probably because I'm lying."

"Bingo. Spill it."

"No thanks, I'll keep it in the cup."

"Come on, kid. I know you're having a problem. Did you want me to take you to the clinic?" Axel shook his head.

"I'll be fine. Just a little dumpy."

"Hmm," Xigbar hummed and rubbed his chin. "Girl problems?"

"Not exactly, just my own problems."

"Anything I can do for you?"

"Nothing I can think of. Thanks though." The door to the garage from the main house opened and Roxas poked his head out. He saw Xigbar stooped by the driver's side of Axel's car then noticed the familiar red hair inside. He swallowed thickly and came out. He approached the vehicle timidly. He wasn't sure what it meant if Axel was sitting in the car already. Xigbar noticed the blonde and decided he should leave. Roxas looked down at Axel, who slouched more in the seat.

"Your posture is terrible," the blonde said and poked him in the side. "Going somewhere?"

"Not for a lack of trying," Axel admitted.

"Where?"

"Anywhere."

"I don't feel comfortable handing the keys to you, so I'm sorry, I can't let you drive away just yet."

"I understand."

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"They're not even worth that much."

"So why don't you just tell me?"

"Because," the redhead said after hesitating like it was the best explanation. Roxas sighed and reached down to the side of the seat and pulled a lever, causing the back of the driver's seat to recline back, and Axel with it. The blonde kicked off his shoes and slid himself onto the redhead's lap, closing the door behind him. He settled himself on top of Axel's torso.

"Just tell me, please."

"I don't have the words."

"Are you leaving?"

"I don't want to."

"Fine. I'll be satisfied with that for now," the blonde huffed. His dejection and lack of understanding was stemming off into anger, as it usually did. "Is school going to be like this every day or should we just withdraw?"

"I don't see why _you_ would have to withdraw."

"Because I'm staying with you weather you like it or not," the blonde said with a light growl. He furrowed his brows together and gave Axel a glare. "So don't even think about leaving me." The redhead blinked in surprise. He wasn't expecting Roxas to phrase it that way. Leaving _him_?

"With me?"

"Yes. With you."

"Are you telling me what I think you're telling me?" Axel asked with a raised brow. Roxas blushed some and laid his head on the redhead's chest, to look away. Axel stared into the roof of the car and waited for the blonde's response. The smaller boy fidgeted.

"I don't know what to say, Axel," he admitted quietly after a long silence.

"Well if you're telling me we're going to put a title to this, then you should probably say so because my ADD might kick in and I'll flutter away to something else," Axel said, trying to lighten the heavy mood.

"You're not Sora."

"True enough, I have almost an entire foot on him and the wrong haircut." Roxas smiled and little and pressed his face into Axel's chest, shaking his head at the horrible joke. The blonde resettled himself and took a breath.

"'Boyfriend' is such a horrible term," he said. Axel shrugged.

"Language is an imperfect thing. But I don't think you want me to be that just yet."

"Why not?"

"You said it yourself that you know nothing about me," the redhead said nonchalantly. Roxas sighed.

"Yes but then I attacked you unfairly in order to gain information."

"Well how else do you suppose we do it?" the redhead asked. "I'm not sure I can just blurt everything out like I usually would. I'm not ready for that yet." The blonde took a breath and a moment to think of something. He was desperate to keep Axel with him even if it meant going out of his comfort zone to make it happen. Coming to him and basically spitting out that he wanted to make everything official was not the way he wanted to do it at all but the redhead was giving him little choice. Yes, it was Axel's fault; he was blaming him for making it so difficult even though he didn't do anything wrong. If the blonde gave him the choice of weather or not to tell him anything, they would never get anywhere, he had to lay some ground rules.

"I want you to tell me something I don't know about you every day until you can't think of anything else, good or bad, it doesn't matter," the blonde said. "I'll try to do that too, though you already know so much. We can take it slow." Roxas pushed up off the redhead's chest to look down at him. He caught sight of his eyes and was forced to look away and blush but he didn't lie back down like he wanted to. "So will you stay with me? Please?" he asked, his voice barely above a squeak. Axel took a moment to process what he was asking.

"Are you sure you want _me_? I'm not exactly the cleanest individual," he grumbled. Roxas looked at him then and didn't get angry, didn't glare. He didn't do any of things Roxas would normally do when he was nervous and scared which was usually channel that into anger and possible abuse. He simply looked at Axel with a serious face.

"Yes. I'm sure."

"You really know how to make a girl feel loved, you know that?"

"Good. That means you'll stay," Roxas huffed, pushing his brows together. Axel laughed at him and took his arms, pulling him down again and hugged the blonde to his chest. "If you keep saying that, I really will make you the woman," he growled.

"Oh you think so, huh?"

"Yes."

"I'll wait for you to try then. That's your New Years resolution isn't it?" Axel taunted. Roxas froze and looked up at him slowly with wide eyes and crimson cheeks. The redhead grinned at him.

"I can't believe you remembered that," the blonde said. The taller boy took Roxas' face in his hands and pulled him up to meet his own. Under Axel's suddenly serious and scrutinizing gaze, the blonde's breath got caught and his throat. His heart sped up and he suddenly became very nervous with what Axel might have him do. The redhead took in the frightened view and watched the color drain from Roxas' cheeks slowly as the blonde panicked just a little more.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Axel said quietly and smiled at the blonde. Roxas blinked at him and the redhead pulled his face down to lock lips with the boy. The smaller boy immediately relaxed when he realized he had nothing to fear and opened his mouth to accept Axel's tongue. There was a loud thud and the car shook. Both of them startled and broke their kiss to look around the cabin. They couldn't see out the windows because they had fogged up. The vehicle started to rock back and fourth and soft moans of pleasure came muffled through the glass. Roxas sighed and laid his forehead against Axel's.

"Sora," he said simply. Axel snickered.

"Should we ignore him or give him an eyeful?"

"We could ignore him but it wouldn't solve the problem. Hang on," Roxas said and leaned back and laid his palm on the horn. Sora yelped in surprise and the car stopped moving.

"Don't do that!" the brunette squealed from outside "you almost killed me!" Axel laughed at him. Roxas sighed and pushed the door open. Sora stooped and poked his head in, panting. "My heart is going to burst," he said. He took a moment to catch his breath and looked the pair over and frowned because they still had their clothes on. Axel looked amused, Roxas was annoyed.

"What do you want, Sora?" the blonde asked with a sneer.

"Just you friendly neighborhood cock block coming to visit is all. Don't mind me," he chirped and smiled. Roxas ran and hand over his face and sighed. Axel laughed.

"Maybe we _should_ let him join us. Just once, so maybe he'd leave us alone for a day or two," the redhead smiled and Roxas looked at him with wide eyes. He couldn't tell if Axel was serious or not. Sora didn't seem to care one way or the other because he squealed and clamored over Axel's legs and the center console to plop into the passenger seat with a grin.

"Or just let me watch," the brunette said, "I'm a very visual kind of guy."

"Why did you do that?" Roxas asked and looked down at Axel. The redhead shrugged.

"Seemed funny at the time, really."

"Wait are you guys teasing me again?" Sora huffed and stuck out his lower lip. "I'm not _that_ horrible am I?" he pouted.

"You're not horrible, just crass," Roxas said.

"Who the hell says 'crass' anymore?" Axel asked and the blonde sighed. Sora giggled.

"I don't even know what that means, but I bet a lot of old people do. Oh, and Roxxy of course."

"Read a book sometime, Sora," the blonde spat. He glared at the brunette which gave Axel the perfect opportunity to shove his hands up Roxas' shirt, and the blonde startled. "Axel!" he yelped as his stomach was suddenly visible.

"Yes?" he asked and felt around.

"What are you doing?" the blonde huffed and tried to shove his hands off of his skin by his wrists. Sora went silent. Axel smiled at the sound.

"You told me ignoring him wouldn't solve the problem, and you never said no to the other option, do you propose something else?"

"Going to another room maybe? This isn't what I meant!" the blonde protested and shoved his shirt down, locking Axel's hands against him.

"For what? So he can bang on the door and kill everything there too?" the redhead's eyes went from amused to irritated.

"Do you really want him here?" the blonde asked with flushed cheeks.

"No, I don't. But I'm tired of dicking around like this. Or _not_ being able to dick around like this, whichever gets my point across," Axel growled and pulled the blonde to him again harshly. Roxas let out a startled squeak as he was crushed into the crook of Axel's neck. He smoothed down Roxas' hair with one hand and held the boy to himself with the other; the redhead pressed a kiss above the blonde's ear and spoke again in the barest of whispers so Sora couldn't comprehend. "You told me you wanted me and yet you do nothing to stop him. _You're_ the one who opened the door for him. So I'm left to assume you want him here, don't care if he's here, or are intentionally trying to confuse me. Either way, I'm losing my patience. Pick something, I don't care what anymore," Axel gave Roxas' earlobe a light nibble and the blonde sighed, nodding.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking," Roxas admitted. He pushed himself up again to sit upright on Axel's abdomen. The blonde took a minute to consider Axel's words carefully and flexed his jaw in thought. He looked to Sora who was waiting patiently in the passenger seat, with an expectant face. Roxas looked at Axel again who gave him nothing in terms of expression then back at the brunette. He took a breath to calm his nerves. "There isn't enough room in here," he said quietly.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

There was a whirlwind of activity as Axel swept the blonde from the car and through the garage, into the house. With mutterings of a verbal deal between the redhead and Sora, who was tagging along behind them, Axel's expression had gone from soft and pining for Roxas' affections to harsh and business like. The blonde often found his own face reflected in his computer monitor looking exactly like the taller boy's as he was contemplating proposals with his large "Approved" stamp hovering over the stack of papers. Roxas was being pulled along at such a fevered pace, his relenting calf occasionally gave out, causing the redhead to scoop him and press the smaller boy to his chest impatiently, muttering half-heard incoherent statements. Roxas was flustered.

"Wait. What did you say?" the blonde asked the redhead in a small, timid voice.

"I said," Axel started with underlying annoyance, "that at least after this I get you to myself for a week. This is a business transaction, Roxas," he looked down at the blonde in his arms as he stomped up the stairs. "Sora and I have a deal; I'm not going to be nice and gentle like I should be. Get in, get out, and get it done. So I can _breathe _some and then maybe we can dig our heels in and do this _properly_." The blonde squinted up at him with confusion laced through his eyes. What did he exactly agree to do again?

Mentally, Axel's had drifted to a place he seldom traveled anymore. His movements, eerily calm and stone-like betrayed his underlying purpose. Only this time, he wouldn't be purchasing drugs. He'd be purchasing Roxas. He was angry that the blonde had sputtered out his affections only to have Sora burst in and claim virtual ownership on the situation. Even more so, he never thought he would have to bargain his way into bed with the blonde though _Sora_. He was sure he would have to sleep with Roxas' mother before they could find some true peace. Since his arrival and gradual permanency, Sora had been nothing short of a thorn in the redhead's side. Sure, the brunette had helped Roxas and his family but Axel had already paid his debt back to him, by letting the boy drool on him and touch him in ways he didn't want to be touched, as subtle as they may have been. So why all of a sudden was Sora holding the leash and being the one to lay down the bargains? Oh yeah, because he was simply _there_. Because _Roxas_ let him in; in the car and into their picture. For the first time since he'd come to know the blonde, the situation was really, and truly, Roxas' fault. Axel blamed the blonde with everything he had as he kicked open Sora's bedroom door.

The brunette had gotten the same custom treatment as everyone else did and the redhead, who was new to this space, was awash in a sea of blue. He took the barest of moments to take in his surroundings with mechanical precision. Roxas watched Axel's face, confusedly still, seeing a new determination spring across his partner's features. It was an expression the redhead had never worn before and Roxas had a feeling he had inadvertently dredged up at least a couple demons in his haste. Had Axel done this before? It almost seemed like he was on auto-pilot as he dropped the blonde on the bed with a resounding '_thud_.' The redhead eyed the brunette as Sora quietly closed the door with a blank face, a newfound rage glittering in his jade eyes.

"We have a deal?" Axel asked and crossed his arms over his chest. Sora shrugged.

"Sure, so long as I get mine honked too," the brunette said with a curt smile. Roxas was thoroughly and hopelessly confused. The redhead cast the blonde a wicked look.

"Guess who gets to be the lucky Pierre?" he said and started to pull off his shirt. Sora laughed and followed suit. Roxas' eyes flicked between them, wide and searching.

"The who?"

"The cat," Sora said and started to pull off his belt. "The cat in the middle," he repeated with a giggle.

"Are we going back to the ears again?" the blonde huffed.

"You're so cute," the brunette said. "I almost don't want to take your innocence away," then he shrugged, "but, a guy has needs Roxxy." Axel plopped himself on the edge of the bed and started to pull off his shoes. He cast a glance over to Roxas, without any trace of readable emotion and sighed, giving the blonde's shirt a tug upwards. The smaller boy yelped as the cloth disappeared, fluttering away. Everything came to a close for him and he finally was able to grasp the situation. Sora was there, in his boxers giving him an incredulous look. "You won't even have to see my face if you don't want to," he offered and Roxas flushed a bright crimson.

"I-I don't…" the blonde stuttered and Axel stopped moving, his hand frozen as it was in the middle of pulling down his fly, his eyes watching Roxas closely. "I don't think I can do this…" Sora's shoulders sank some.

"But Roxxy," the brunette sighed and pushed the other boy back. He curled his arms under the blonde's torso and nuzzled his stomach. "I'm so _needy_. You get to have Axel whenever you want but I don't have anyone like that anymore," he whined. The redhead watched as Roxas' face stayed with embarrassment for a moment until it crumbled under his own mental battles and patted Sora on the back. Axel rolled his eyes and continued unzipping his fly, having already resigned himself to the fate brought on by the blonde.

"Then again…" Axel said as he straightened, his pants hanging open. "I could just leave you two to it. Spare myself the headache." The blonde's eyes flicked to him quickly in surprise. "It'd just be me having sex with Roxas anyway, just with an extra pair of legs to look out for underneath," he said with a thoughtful face. He looked to Roxas then, "I think that's what I'll do. I'll be in my room, waiting for you when you're finished, Roxas." He zipped up his pants again and picked up his shirt, letting it lay over his shoulder before picking up his shoes. He exited the room quickly, closing the door behind him.

***

"Sora…" Roxas started and looked down at the mass of chestnut spikes latched to his abdomen. The brunette heaved a sigh, eyes distant and blank.

"Yeah Roxxy?"

"I don't think I can do this," he responded quietly. He ran a hand over Sora's hair and the other boy closed his eyes before giving Roxas an extra firm squeeze with his arms. He nodded.

"Okay Roxxy," he sighed and untangled himself from the blonde. He padded to the top of the bed and pushed himself under the covers silently, noticing how the sheets were slightly scratchy against his skin from disuse. That was the first time he had bothered pulling back and lying under the covers of his bed, he was usually elsewhere for this sort of thing. He pulled the fabric up and laid his head against the pillow and heaved another sigh, staring off into the wall, mind blank. Roxas observed the action silently and gathered his shirt before moving up to the brunette's face. He laid a peck on the other boy's forehead and Sora closed his eyes. "Just don't bang the headboard against the wall too much, I dunno how long I can keep away if you toy with me like that, Roxxy," the brunette said. Roxas smiled a little.

"Thank you, Sora."

***

Axel was lying on his bed with his hands tucked under his head watching flecks of tiny loose fibers and dust drift through the light of the setting sun. He sighed, waiting. He knew Roxas wouldn't be able to go through with it, not in his anxiety ridden state, scared of relationships and new sexual situations. The boy could scarcely walk around Axel naked if they weren't in the throws of heated debate with their tongues, let alone jump into a threesome willy nilly. The bigger issue was that he had considered it. Roxas had considered sharing him, and Axel wasn't sure how he felt about that. Hardly twenty minutes ago the blonde was giving him looks of desperation and heartfelt confessions of his feelings, even if they were poorly worded and very Roxas-like. The point was that he had said them, and then pulled _that_ little stunt. Who was Roxas kidding?

The redhead didn't even startle when his bedroom door flew inward and a very flushed and worried Roxas stalked into the room. Axel lifted his head, "done already? Oh man, you're a quick shot," he jabbed. Roxas glowered him.

"Did you do that as a joke? Because you could've fooled me, you looked serious."

"If you weren't so terrified, I would have gone through with it."

"Why?" the blonde persisted.

"It's what you wanted, wasn't it?"

"I…No. I told you I wasn't okay with sharing you."

"So why did you agree to it?"

"Bec—because…" Roxas stuttered. He stared at the floor, cheeks quickly turning a bright red, and running a hand through his hair. "I'm not sure."

"Feeling rebellious or something all of a sudden?" the redhead questioned, propping himself up on his elbows. "Or were you trying to do that for me? I don't want you thinking that I would want to have sex with Sora. _Ever_. Whatever your reasoning is, I knew it wasn't going to happen. I mean Roxas, seriously. You're topless in my room. Think about it," the blonde immediately startled and was covered in a light shade of pink as the blushing spread to his entire body. "That's what I thought. You only ever shower with me either directly after or during sex, you never change in front of me, you try to initiate stuff and then back away, what am I supposed to think when you come up with a stunt like that?" Roxas sighed. He fiddled with his shirt some before pulling it over his head again.

"I have no idea."

"Well when you figure it out, let me know because I'm about as confused as you are." Axel resettled back to his original position and stared up at the ceiling. Roxas was quiet for a moment before crawling into the bed next to him and laying his head on the redhead's stomach looking down the line of Axel's body to his knees. After a long and uncomfortable silence, Roxas spoke.

"You need new pants," he said.

"What's wrong with these ones?"

"They're too big," Roxas commented and pulled at the fabric of Axel's pant leg.

"There's a reason for that."

"Really? This isn't going to turn into some innuendo that I'm going to have to hit you for, is it?" Axel laughed.

"No, but it is tempting, I must admit."

"Alright then. Why?"

"Well it's weird but I'd have to show you hang on," the redhead said and nudged Roxas to sit up. Axel made his way to his wardrobe and the blonde watched as he rifled through his drawers looking for something. He pulled out a pair of black skinny jeans and shook them a little to loosen the fabric. "Okay, so I used to wear tight pants almost constantly and they got me a lot of attention for some of the wrong reasons," the redhead continued, Roxas fought the urge to turn away and blush when the taller boy started to strip off his original pants in favor for the new ones. "Before you say anything, it isn't because of my dick, either. Oh god I must be getting fat," he muttered as he pulled the fabric up. Once he got everything fastened in place he turned to Roxas and pulled the excess fabric of his t-shirt behind him until that was also as tight as it could be. The blonde immediately understood.

"You have _hips_," Roxas sputtered. "Not as huge as my mothers of Tifa's but more than necessary to say the least." Axel laughed and let his shirt fall back to normal.

"Yeah, I know, don't remind me," the redhead said with a light blush that made Roxas smile. "So there, that's your Axel factoid for the day, though I think I overfilled my quota for today."

"That's alright. I don't mind. We should show Sora," he said. Axel shook his head.

"No, I'm good thanks. I can do without the noise for a while."

"That's for sure but I'd like to give him more excuses to be jealous," Roxas blurted and immediately blushed and put a hand over his mouth. Axel grinned wolfishly.

"Well! That was flattering," he said and Roxas ran his other hand through his flaxen hair. The redhead strode over and planted a lingering kiss on the boy's forehead. "I think I can oblige you just because that was so damn _cute_," he said and Roxas gave him a pink cheeked glare before smacking him in the shoulder. The redhead never lost his grin as he went back to the wardrobe and shuffled things around again before changing his shirt into a tighter one that clung to him better. The blonde was frozen in place with permanently stained cheeks and a hand over his mouth watching Axel change. His heart was going a mile a minute and he couldn't exactly understand _why_.

***

A few days passed with little conflict, little intimacy, and far too much Sora for Axel's liking. He couldn't help but revel in Roxas' face every time he caught the blonde staring at him in his skinny jeans, though, even if it caught the brunette's attention as well. He went about his business at the manor like he normally would, garnishing looks from all members of the family and staff the most enjoyable of which (aside from Roxas' of course) was that of Cloud's. He would catch the older blonde giving him quick looks as he passed by, knowing what they would promise if Axel were to indulge them. All he had to do to distract himself from the other though, is happen by Roxas and it would all melt away simply because the younger blonde was _his_ now. Officially. The redhead hadn't had so much attention focused on him in a while and he sometimes had a hard time adjusting to the extra eyes. The Friday before Axel and Roxas started school, Sora was relentless.

"Can I touch your butt?" the brunette asked, draping himself over the back of the couch and peering over Axel's shoulder.

"Don't you have a test to study for?" the redhead asked, annoyed.

"I already studied, but now I want to study _you_," he persisted and laid a chin on the taller boy's shoulder. Axel reached back and smacked him in the forehead with his fingers. Sora whined. "Please?"

"No. Leave me be."

"But Axeeeellll…"

"Go away Sora."

"Please?"

"No."

"If I sneak up on you and do it, would you kill me?"

"Probably."

"Oh come on! I'm single and deprived of attention! Then you come along with your butt and shake it at me. S'not fiar."

"I did no such thing, I was just _walking_," Axel protested.

"But Axeeellll…" Sora repeated. The redhead sighed in relief as Roxas came in with a giant bowl of popcorn for them all to share. He sat on the leather sofa and handed the bowl off to Axel before taking up the panel remote and started clicking through the library of movies the theater contained. "Roxxyyyy…" Sora started.

"I don't know what you're whining about, but you need to stop," Roxas barked with more than a little irritation behind his voice. Axel sat and listened to Sora's incessant pouting as he rolled himself along the back of the couch.

"What would it take for you to _stop_ whining, honestly?" Axel asked. The brunette looked thoughtful and draped himself over the back of the couch again on his back so his face hung upside down.

"A new boyfriend. Not even that much, I just need to get laid," the brunette said simply like it was just that easy.

"Go pay someone," the redhead added and Roxas nudged him.

"Right so he can contract fifteen diseases at once, perfect," the blonde said. Sora sighed.

"We wouldn't have these problems if one of you would just put out," he persisted. Axel rolled his eyes and shook his head. He thought about the discussions he and Roxas had been sharing over the last few days about Axel's relationships and the people he would hang around with. The blonde really hadn't understood most of the picture yet, but the redhead had reminded himself of Rikku's offer and thought harder on it.

"You know…" he started with contemplation. So long as everything had remained the same, which he knew it would be, they could probably take Rikku up on her offer with relative safety. Axel knew the environment enough and what to avoid, but would Roxas really go for it? "I think I may be able to help you with your blue balls, Sora," the brunette immediately perked up and ran to his side.

"Really!?" the boy shrieked. Roxas whirled on Axel with a hard glare. The redhead held up a hand.

"Hear me out before you yell at me, Roxas. Remember Rikku? Well, when she gave me her number, she told be about a party that's well…" he thought about what day it was, "it's tonight actually. There are some people I know that would probably help Sora out. Safely," he added and watched the blonde's growing confusion. "One in particular, I know would just _love _him," he looked down at the brunette who had settled himself at Axel's feet with his hands on the redhead's knee like a begging puppy. Sora grinned.

"Oh yeah? Do I know him?" Sora asked excitedly. Axel shook his head.

"Probably not."

"So what you want to jump in the car and drop Sora off at some strange place? Or are you intending us to stay as well? Either way I don't like it," Roxas said and huffed. "What kind of environment are we talking about here, Axel?" He gave the redhead a hard sideways glare.

"A very high energy atmosphere, Roxas. No drugs, otherwise I wouldn't offer, but possible drinking. I can't really describe it."

"I'm hesitant, for obvious reasons."

"Aw Roxxy! Come on," Sora scooted himself across the carpet to put his hands on Roxas' knees and peer up at him with large lipid eyes. "We can stop by, and if it's horrible, we'll leave. I just…" he trailed off and put his forehead on the blonde's knees and shook his head. "Please? For me?" the brunette's eyes started to water.

"It may just help you with some of your own issues," the redhead said to the blonde. Axel shrugged. "I know the guy who runs these particular venues and he's clean. Like seriously, he's intimidating but he's a good guy. I trust him. Once he sees Sora, he might just whisk him away for the rest of evening and I bet he'd come back in pristine condition."

"Great, so I'm like some sort of object now?" the brunette asked. Axel shrugged.

"The guy doesn't make relationships, so he would return you. So it's almost like you're renting yourself to him. But he's ah… very good," he tagged on the end with a light blush that he hoped neither boy would notice. Roxas' brows knitted together further and he gave the redhead a vengeful glare. Axel noticed, "I wouldn't go to him again, Roxas. That's over for me."

"Is this man some sort of pimp or whatever? Does he expect payment of some sort?" the blonde asked with a gruff tone. Axel laughed.

"No, no. These parties are like a hobby for him. You only get invited by other people that he trusts, and there's a mutual understanding between everyone that you're clean, and you won't talk about it after you leave. If you have any inclination that you might want to do this, I need to call Rikku so she can tell him the okay," he said calmly. Sora squeaked and peered up at Roxas' unsure face.

"Please Roxxy! Can't we go? Don't you trust Axel?" The blonde looked down at his friend, then to the redhead.

"I trust you, but are you sure about this, Axel?" he asked in a small voice. The redhead gave him a reassuring smile.

"I am. I know what you're thinking, but you'll understand when we don't pull into the bad part of town and start skulking the streets together that I'm not being stupid. But of course," he looked down at Sora who was watching the pair with wide eyes, "I expect you to leave us alone for a while. Understand?" The brunette nodded quickly.

"I promise," he added. Axel looked to Roxas again. The blonde seemed unsure still.

"We don't have to, but like Sora said, we can check it out and if you freak out, we can leave. If you're having hang ups with sharing, I didn't plan on touching anyone else, Roxas." He gave the blonde a wink and Roxas blushed, causing Sora to giggle. "Would it make you feel better if you could talk to him first?" The blonde perked up.

"It would, can we do that?" he asked almost anxiously.

"I would need my phone."

***

"J'ello?!" Rikku's voice filtered giddily through the speaker on Axel's Blackberry as it sat on Roxas' desk. The two smaller boys leaned closer to hear, even though it was already broadcasting into the room at full volume.

"Rikku!" Axel cried and grinned. She squealed, causing Sora to raise a brow at the device. "Don't do anything stupid, you're on speaker phone."

"Axel! Oh my gosh hi!" she said. "Who's there? Your nice blonde friend I hope?" light music filtered through the speakers as the girl traversed through a house before there was a wind like she had gone outside.

"Him and another one, yeah."

"Hi nice blonde guy, I forgot your name! I'm sorry!" she perked.

"Roxas," the blonde said.

"Oh yeah! Hi Roxas! And the other one!"

"Sora!" the brunette squealed. She squealed back at him and Axel winced at the noises.

"He sounds cute too, Axel," she added with a giggle. Sora grinned. "So why'd ya call? Gonna head over tonight after all?"

"Was thinking about it yeah, hey is the boss around? I wanted to ask his permission to bring these two."

"You got pictures?" she asked. Both smaller boys quirked brows and looked at each other.

"Ah no, but I can. Is that how he's doing it now?"

"Yeah and he's asking for ID's at the door, too. There was an incident a little while ago, but it's all clear now," she added sounding calmer. Axel didn't want to know the details. He picked up the phone and fiddled with the buttons, trying not to hang up on the girl and find the camera.

"Okay, let me see if I can get this to go, hang on. I'll call you back if I hang up on you," he said and eyed the screen. Rikku giggled. The blonde sitting behind the desk held out his hand for it and Axel handed it over. Roxas quickly found the function and clicked a quick picture of Sora. He set it back up and handed it back to Axel who took one of the blonde. "Alright, just send it to you or his?" the redhead asked, already setting up the message.

"Ah… well let me tell him first and just send them to his, you remember the number?"

"Yeah, I do," he said sheepishly and Roxas looked him over carefully. This entire time, the blonde was worried they would traipse right into one of Axel's ex boyfriend's homes and the redhead would be whisked away. But he just had to trust that when Axel had said that the blonde was his only actual relationship, that he was being truthful. Trust. It was becoming important. Through the speaker, the girl reentered the building she had left previously and wandered though the rooms, filtering past different types of music. There was some laughter.

"Boss?" she asked. There was a male voice in the background, acknowledging her. "It's Axel."

"Axel?" the voice asked. It was deep, belonging to very mature, very male, vocal chords. There were footfalls and the exchange of the phone. Rikku sounded more distant as the new voice overtook the environment. Axel eyed Sora as the boy watched the phone curiously. "Hello?"

"Hey!" Axel said and gave him a light chuckle.

"Decided to crawl from the throws of rehabilitation, have you? How was that by the way?" the voice, though deep and rumbling, sounded like something akin to humor.

"Oh you know, humiliating in every way. Staying good?"

"Of course. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I have new patrons for you. In addition to myself, anyway. Rikku said you wanted pictures."

"Ah, yes. I do prefer to know who I'm getting involved with now a days."

"Here, I'll send them to you," the redhead said and hit the send button. "Still good on the confidentiality thing?" he asked. The man let out a velvety chuckle.

"Of course. Haven't had a slip, yet. Oh my," he said as there were a few buttons clicked in the background. "Are you sure they're of age?" Axel laughed as Sora and Roxas narrowed their eyes at the device.

"Yeah, I'm not _that_ stupid. I thought you knew me better."

"Oh I do, but I had my doubts at first glance. I like the brunette," the man said. "Though the blonde may be a bit more of a challenge. He looks like he has some fight in him," Roxas blushed. Sora giggled. "Oh good lord, Axel can I be heard?" Axel laughed again.

"Yeah, probably should have told you. The blonde is closed. The brunette is… less so." Both boys looked at Axel with curious faces at his wording. "Sora is interested."

"Oh is he now? Interesting. Sora?" he asked, aware the boy must have been in the room with them.

"Yeah?" the brunette asked with a quiet voice. Axel looked the boy over and found him to be very tense and blushing as he watched the device with serious intent.

"I assume you're clean? I wouldn't think Axel would bring me someone that could break my fragile little body," he said with a chuckle. Sora blushed a little deeper.

"Yeah, I'm clean," the brunette squeaked.

"Beautiful. I'll be watching for you all then. It's on premise, open, not full Roman though unless desired and we do have a safe room. Here, you can have Rikku back," there was a shuffling as the phone was passed and the girl came back over the line, finishing her sentence in the distance as he she was in the middle of another conversation.

"When should we expect you guys?" she asked with a chipper voice. "Technically the doors open at ten. Food is at eleven." Axel looked at the other two who both shrugged. Roxas looked at his watch and held up nine fingers telling Axel the current time.

"We'll be there a little after ten, probably. Open bar or are we doing this dry?" Axel asked, smirking at the unintended innuendo. Rikku giggled.

"It's open, so long as you don't have a DD stamp, of course. Oh Axel I'm so happy you're joining us again. Are you closed? Please tell me you're not, because I'm safe _finally_."

"I'm afraid so, angel," he said reclining in his seat. Roxas watched a small thread of fondness travel through Axel's eyes as the redhead crossed his arms over his chest, watching the surface of the desk intently. What was 'safe?' The girl however let out a displeased howl.

"Oh come on!" she squealed. "That's so not fair."

"That's what I said!" Sora squeaked right along with her. She laughed.

"You're just blocking everyone, huh Ax? Paine will be disappointed," she said.

"Oh she's coming too?"

"Well _duh_! Willow isn't welcome anymore so Paine shows up less, but she's still around."

"I see. Well good for Paine bad for Willow I suppose, but I don't necessarily need Willow all over me. Trying to avoid that train wreck."

"I hear you on that, good buddy."

"Not to totally interrupt or anything but I can't resist anymore, do one of you have a picture of this boss guy I can see?" Sora piped, when there was a brief pause in the conversation. Rikku giggled.

"Well I for one think he's gorgeous but don't take my word for it, ask Axel. He doesn't like pictures of his face being taken so I only have ones of his amazing stomach. Oh god drool much?" she swooned.

"It's like a blind date but without the boring stuff," Sora giggled and held his face between his hands with a blush. "Oh man." He looked to Axel for confirmation. The redhead shrugged.

"I prefer my guys smaller and blonde, personally," he said flippantly. Roxas still gave him a hard look. "But anyone will agree that he's not disgusting by any means. You'll know why I thought of him for you when you see him."

"Oh! Fun and embarrassing fact that will make Axel hate me!" Rikku squealed through the phone. Axel's eyes flew wide but she continued before he could stop her. "The boss is the only one that's been able to top Axel!" the redhead's hands flew up to his face.

"Oh my god Rikku! I'm going to kill you! They didn't need to know that!" he yelled through his palms. Sora and Roxas gaped at him.

"Top him? Like what he does with Roxxy but he's the Roxxy!?" Sora shrieked with a gaping smile and glittering eyes. Roxas blushed as well and held his face in his hands much like Axel.

"Sora be quiet!" the blonde yelled. The girl on the phone was laughing in hysterics.

"Poor Axel," Rikku cooed and tried to stop the laughs but kept hiccupping them back up. "Anyway boys, it's been real but I need to get ready. Dress sexy! Sora, the boss likes chains!" she giggled as the line clicked and she was gone. Roxas took the phone with flustered, furrowed brows and stuffed it back in his desk after turning it off. He locked the drawer. Axel let out an exasperated sigh, Sora was giggling happily.

"What's 'safe' mean?" Roxas asked curiously, "and all those other terms? And one other thing, I'm still not entirely sure what we're doing."

"I've already explained it to you several times, Roxas. You'll just have to wait and see if you don't get it by now," Axel said with a small smile at the boy's naïveté.

***

"I'll try to keep all not-Roxas touching to a minimum, I promise," Axel said as he rifled through the blonde's clothes. "I am relieved you decided it's okay to do this though, you'll be able to meet some of my legitimate friends. I'll probably get a lot of hugs and the occasional kiss, but it's nothing to worry about," he said and turned to Roxas who was waiting patiently on the bed. In his arms were several t-shirts and pairs of pants. "Try these," he said and set them down next to the boy. Roxas was nervous with what he might see at the gathering. He had never been out to a proper 'party' thrown by people around his own age, let alone one with a certain lifestyle attached to it, but as long as Axel was with him it gave him a little peace. The blonde picked up a t-shirt and looked it over.

"I'm just nervous about the kind of atmosphere we're going to. You're _sure_ there won't be any drugs?" he eyed the redhead and Axel smiled.

"Positive."

"What made you get into this kind of thing anyway?" the blonde asked with a suspicious look as he changed shirts, Axel looking away to give him some space. He spoke without looking at Roxas.

"Well, one thing led to another really and what I ended up with are some people who yes, did drugs with me but they also did_ this._ The boss never allows the stuff near the party though and he keeps a good eye on everyone, so his place almost became a safe haven for me if things got rough."

"I was always under the impression you didn't have many friends."

"Oh, well I mean I didn't have friends like you would think. I didn't have friends that came over and played video games and watched movies with me. In fact, none of the people I slept with or did drugs with had ever seen the inside of my old house. I stayed to myself when not out getting myself in trouble. When I _was_ out getting into trouble, people sort of gravitated to me for a bit but they never stuck around very long because I didn't know how to talk to them. Eventually though, some stuck and those are the ones I called my 'friends.' I guess." Axel shrugged. "I never called them unless I wanted something, or there was a party to go to though, but they're all nice enough."

"I see," Roxas smoothed down his shirt and touched Axel's arm to tell him he was done changing. The redhead looked at him and smiled.

"Good enough for me. I don't really care what you wear. Sora is the one who needs to dress to impress." The blonde shrugged.

"You're sure this man won't hurt him?"

"Yep. The boss is a total hedonist, but he's not going to force anything on Sora if he doesn't want it. As for us, we'll sit in the safe room and socialize unless you get really daring. It's enough for me that you'll meet some of the people that I'm not totally ashamed to know. Just keep in mind it's a lifestyle, nothing personal and I think you'll be fine," Axel said and flicked one of Roxas' spikes, smiling. The blonde moved forward and wrapped his arms around the other's waist in a tight hug. Axel hugged him back and kissed his hair. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be, anyway."

***

The boss' house, or rather, his _pair_ of homes were two side by side brownstones in the heart of the city. The driveways were filled and the trio had to find a place to park several blocks away and hoof it the rest of the way. Sora's pants jingled with their many zippers, buttons and complicated looking straps and chains as he walked with his hands laced together behind his head. He shivered.

"Damn winter."

"Seriously," Axel agreed and pulled his jacket closed a little more. Roxas was fine, if nervous. The redhead noticed the smaller boy's hunched shoulders and intent stare on the concrete and patted his shoulder reassuringly. Roxas nodded in recognition. They climbed the few stairs onto the tiny porch and Axel rang the doorbell. "Brace yourselves," he muttered mostly to himself. Sora and Roxas exchanged looks. There was a familiar high pitched squeal as running footsteps could be heard thundering through the house before the many locks on the door clicked quickly and the door flew open. Rikku was there with a bright face as she looked at Axel, the redhead smiled and waved through the glass outer door. She pushed it open and flung herself on the taller boy, clinging to his chest like a leech and wrapping her legs around his waist.

"Oh my god Axel!" she said and hugged him. He patted her back lightly, holding onto the doorframe for support. After a minute of squeezing the girl let him go and stood.

"Hey Rikku. It's really cold, can we come in?" he said calmly. She smiled.

"Oh yeah! Come in!" she said and swept herself aside. The trio entered and handed her their coats and took off their shoes. The girl looked over the two smaller boys with a wide smile. She pointed to the blonde, "Roxas," then moved her finger to the brunette, "Sora."

"Right," they confirmed in tandem. She giggled. She dug in her pocket and pulled out a small stamp and an inkpad.

"Who's DD?" she asked. Axel raised his hand, she pouted. "Wha—no way! You won't have me but I can't get you shitfaced either?" she protested. Axel shrugged.

"Sorry, but I want to be sober for this." She sighed and stamped his hand with an extra pout. Sora giggled.

"He needs to protect his Roxxy," the brunette added and Roxas punched him in the shoulder. Sora only giggled further. Rikku smiled and led them further into the building. It was nice enough, not disgusting or full of rats like Roxas had half-expected. Most of the walls had been knocked down on the main floor, giving it an open layout but once they descended the stairs, there was a wide hallway lined with doors leading down to a large room where there was a bar and tables with chairs. The perimeter was surrounded with couches and the lighting was low. It looked like a lounge. A few people were milling about all of them looking fairly young up until some that must have been in their thirties. There was light music to compensate for the muted televisions on the walls.

"Axel is here!" Rikku announced and the people turned their faces to the small group. Greetings were uttered and many faces had smiles. Two stepped forward; a young woman with dark eyes and silver hair, and the last was a red haired man that looked a lot like Axel.

"Ax!? Holy shit!" exclaimed the new redhead. "I thought you died!" Axel laughed.

"I don't die that easily, Reno," Axel said and they shook a hand, patting each other on the shoulder. "It takes a little more than just going to court to put me out." Reno laughed before catching sight of the two standing behind Axel.

"Weeell…" the man drawled and took the two smaller boys in. "Interesting pair you've brought, Ax." He pushed his face close to Roxas' and smiled. "Open?" he asked. The blonde blinked, Axel's hand came in front of Reno's face.

"Closed," the redhead said with a stern voice. Reno rubbed his chin, turned towards Sora.

"Are you guys related?" the brunette asked curiously. The newer, shorter redhead laughed.

"No way, me and Ax have only known each other for a few years but I guess whoever made us just thought we were so hot they just _had _to make two!" he exclaimed. Axel smiled and shrugged.

"Axel," came a careful voice from behind the new redhead. The girl who had followed Reno over stood in front of Axel and gave him a small smile. "I missed you."

"Hi Paine," the redhead said. They hugged briefly, the girl planting a small kiss on his cheek. He beamed. "Missed me? Am I just that irresistible?"

"Maybe. I wouldn't know," she said and gave him a glare. He threw up his hands defensively.

"Okay, point taken. I'm sorry," he apologized. Roxas was more than a little confused but didn't have much time to consider the situation before Rikku started giggling. There were footsteps coming up behind them, solid and heavy. The group turned and Sora's face went slack as he gaped at the man approaching. He smiled at them, a cool and icy expression but not necessarily rude or with ill intent. He stopped in front of them and swept his waist length ethereal hair from over his shoulder, aqua eyes sparkling. Axel smiled.

"Hey Sephiroth," he said in greeting with a smile. The redhead turned to the awestruck brunette, "Sora, this is the boss."


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Roxas nursed his Sidecar. Sora was sitting next to him on the couch in the lounge looking completely distracted by the man across the room. Sephiroth was, just as Axel said he was, not totally disgusting by any means. The brunette swallowed thickly as he watched the man mingle about greeting and holding brief conversations with all his guests, checking ID's and checking who had a dedicated driver stamp on their hand and who didn't. Axel was upstairs using the restroom. The blonde eyed his friend.

"Are you alright? You haven't blinked in twenty minutes."

"I'm just… yeah," Sora said deftly as if he had answered Roxas' question. The blonde poked him and he jumped. "Ah! What?" he asked with suddenly wide eyes. Roxas quirked a brow and too another sip of his drink.

"I was asking if you're okay."

"Oh yeah I'm fine just a little fascinated. He looks like Riku, doesn't he? Just a little? Do you think that's what Axel meant when he said I would like him?"

Roxas shrugged. "I have no idea, Sora. Are you sure you want to go through with this? You don't even know him."

"Would it be any different if I just walked into one of the rooms and joined whoever? At least _I _know who he is and _Axel _knows who he is, so he's a little more familiar," both boys' attention was drawn down the hall as one of the doors flew open and two pairs of arms jutted out, grabbing onto Axel as he meandered past, coming back from the upstairs. He laughed and batted them away. There was suddenly a topless girl who clamped onto his arm and wouldn't let him go. He grinned and said something to her before she sulked away back into the room and closed the door. Axel's expression changed from happy and accommodating to mild annoyance as he brushed her cooties off of his limb. "Wow, that was weird," Sora commented. "They really _have_ missed him."

"I suppose so," Roxas agreed, relieved to see that he wasn't pulled in with them. The redhead smiled some and resumed his place next to Roxas and draped his arm along the top of the couch behind him. No one from their trio had joined anyone else in the rooms down the halls and they simply sat in the lounge, the safe room, to socialize. The blonde tried to drown his ever growing uneasiness in liquor, confident that Axel would watch him and keep him from being completely reckless. He took another sip.

"He hasn't come over yet?" Axel asked the brunette. Sora shook his head. Shortly after their initial greeting, Sephiroth had gone off to attend to the house and effectively put the boy on the back burner. Sora however, couldn't let it go and just wait. "He'll be over eventually, he hasn't forgotten you yet, just relax." They had only been in the house for a little over and hour. Rikku rounded the corner carrying a large tray and a basket, followed by two other men also carrying trays. They set them up on tables, and the girl surveyed the disks before she nodded to the men and they left. She noticed the small group in the corner on the couch and went over.

"Hey boys, food's here. We have fruit and stuff down here but the sandwich trays are upstairs if you want something a little more substantial," they all nodded at her. She pulled a chair over from one of the tables and sat in front of Axel. She sighed. "Whew, so much work. But the hard part's over."

"Good, maybe now you can relax," Axel said with a smile.

"Yeah. Maybe. How're you doing? Happy to see some of the old gang again?"

"Reno is still Reno, and Paine is still distant. Jasmine, Al, Gene, Belle, everybody, they're all the same. Nothing's changed, except for me I guess," he said, the smile faltering just a bit. "I feel a little out of place, but it's cool. I'm fine."

"Well that's good I suppose, I wish I could make you more _comfortable_. But whatever," she huffed with a sly look. Axel laughed some.

"I'm sorry."

"How long were you two together for?" Roxas asked from behind his martini glass, eyes curious. Rikku raised a brow and touched a finger to her chin in thought.

"Eight months or something like that? We only separated because Axel got in trouble, the distance was too much and we just drew apart," she said simply. Axel nodded in agreement. Sora's distracted face followed the object of his current infatuation across the room as the man moved along the string of people. It wasn't a particularly huge crowd, but the space was small, closed in, forcing people to be close to one another. The bartender probably had more space than most of the people.

"Yeah that was my fault," the redhead said. Roxas looked to him, to gauge his expression. He looked fine, not very upset or reclusive like the blonde had expected him to be.

"Stuff happens you know? Life goes on," the doorbell rang upstairs and the girl sighed. "'S'cuse me guys," she muttered before heading down the hall towards the stairs. Sephiroth watched her go, and then turned his attention to the trio. Sora sucked in a sudden breath as his cheeks flushed. Axel laughed a little under his breath, giving the man a wave.

"You need to calm down, Sora," the redhead advised. The brunette blinked and looked down at his hands. "You're acting like he's going to skewer you or something. Your fine. Speaking of which, how are _you_," he said, poking Roxas for emphasis. The blonde looked at him and shrugged.

"I'm okay, a little uneasy and considering not drinking anymore so I don't have to walk past those rooms to get to the bathroom," he said. Axel laughed.

"Well we won't stay long if you're uncomfortable," the redhead offered and kissed his temple lightly. Roxas shook his head.

"Sora needs to get laid, remember?"

"Yeah I do," the brunette muttered.

"Oop, look sharp, Sora," Axel ordered as the boss came towards them. The brunette snapped to attention and the man laughed before taking Rikku's seat.

"You seem tense," aqua eyes locked onto blue and Sora's muscles stiffened some. The brunette attempted a shrug.

"I suppose, maybe just a bit."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Would you like a drink?"

"Sure?" the boy questioned. The man laughed, he stood again and went to the bar. Sora immediately smacked himself in the forehead. "I'm so smooth aren't I?" he said sarcastically. Roxas snickered and leaned against Axel. The redhead's eyes darted to the boy quickly before his hands drifted to the hairline at the base of the blonde's skull and ran his fingertips over the fine hairs to be found there. The blonde sighed some and extended his neck more to encourage the taller boy. The redhead smiled. Sephiroth returned and handed the brunette a small glass filled with some sort of mixed drink. The boy looked at it, sniffed it a little and took a taste. "Ooo. This is good. Thank you." The man smiled as he sat back in his seat and Sora blushed.

"I must say I thought you had left us for good, Axel," Sephiroth said. The redhead shrugged some.

"Took a break, I guess. I'm not sure how much I'm still into it though but I'll try not to fall completely off the face of the Earth again."

"That's good. Paine misses you the most, you know. Rikku is up there too, but at least she had some of her fill."

"Yeah, I know. I already apologized for that."

"I hope they can accept it and move on then," he said and quirked a brow. Behind him, coming down the hall were two male voices followed by Rikku. Two younger boys rounded the corner and waved at the man, who waved back silently but with a tense brow.

"Oh god," Axel muttered and rubbed his brows. Roxas was immediately alert and observing. There was another blonde with a knitted skull cap traipsing through the room with a confided stride followed by his friend who was taller, bulkier, with dark hair and medium skin. Rikku went to stand by Sephiroth. She leaned on the back of his chair and rearranged some stray hairs on his scalp. Aqua eyes flicked to her briefly before watching the new pair.

"Who invited them?" the man asked.

"Paine," Rikku said. Sephiroth sighed. The new blonde with the cap noticed the group in the corner and strode over quickly. As he drew nearer, Roxas could make out a thick scar across the bridge of his nose.

"Well hello there stranger! Long time no see, Axel," the boy said and leaned in close to the redhead, who stared back at him with a narrowing of the eyes. "Ya'll clean and pretty again? You certainly look less disgusting anyway."

"How kind," Axel spat. "I didn't know you cared, Seifer."

"I don't," Seifer's eyes moved and observed Roxas, his mouth curled into a smile. "Hello there, how're you? Cozy? Comfy?" Roxas glared at him and leaned a little more on the redhead. "I see how it is. Alright. You can have him, he's tainted anyway. Dirty."

"That's enough," Sephiroth barked and the new blonde straightened and stood. "Find a room, find your manners, find something else to do, or I may just have to ask you to leave," he warned. Seifer snorted at him before heading back down the hall, picking a door and heading inside. The blonde's friend grabbed a strawberry off of one of the trays and followed, heading into another door. How do these people figure out who is where? Do they just jump in however they want? Roxas was curious, but he wasn't sure if he should inspect. Sephiroth sighed before standing and heading down the hall and up the stairs. Rikku looked contemplative before heading after him but stopping short at one of the last doors down the hall, pressing her ear to it, and heading in. Now, Roxas was _very_ curious. Sora let out a tense breath.

"What was _that_?" he asked, leaning around Roxas to look at Axel.

"An antagonist, that's what. Don't worry about him. He's nothing much."

"Oh. Okay," the brunette fidgeted and finished the last of his drink, setting it aside. He sat quietly for a moment, lost in his own thoughts before grabbing the sides of his face between his hands and blushing. Axel quirked a brow but didn't have time to ask what his problems was because the door closest to them burst open and a grinning Reno staggered out of the room, zipping his pants and heading towards the nearest table with the basket Rikku had brought down. He shoved his hand in the wicker and pulled out a bottle of Purell. He rubbed some the substance between his hands, and shook them dry before picking at the fruit tray. The door opened again and Paine stepped out in her shorts and bra; she followed his example. Sora snorted at her quietly, she didn't notice. Axel noticed Roxas watching them both intently; lips paused at the rim of his glass. The pair at the table held light conversation, Reno eyeing the girl hungrily and passing cat-like grins her way; she smiled, but just barely. Roxas' eyes drifted towards the door they had come from. The door was left open some and the blonde blushed wildly as he saw a wriggling lump on a large platform of which he could only assume was a bed. He curled his legs to himself and finished his drink, handing his glass to Axel who set it aside. Sora made a noise, eyes fixated on the room as well.

"Are you guys okay?" Axel asked quietly. They both nodded eyes unblinking. The redhead followed their line of sight and sighed before pushing himself off the couch and heading over. He stuck his head in briefly, shocking Roxas some before shaking his head, red spires of hair shaking lightly, and pulling the door closed quietly. Axel walked to the fruit tray.

"See something you like in there big guy?" the shorter newer redhead asked with a quirked brow.

"Just checkin' who's who," Axel said calmly. He fixed himself a small plate of sustenance.

"You're not going to jump in?"

"Nah, I'm fine. I'm here more for visiting anyway." There was a problem with his statement that unsettled Roxas some once he caught a view of Axel coming back to sit. He had tried his best to keep his eyes on the redhead's face, he really did. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe the atmosphere, but his eyes dipped southward on Axel's form and noticed the contradiction therein outlined in tight black denim. Axel was aroused, if just a little. Roxas blushed and felt guilty for restricting him. His partner sat next to him and offered the plate over. Sephiroth appeared at the mouth of the hallway, barefoot so he didn't make a sound as he walked anymore. He surveyed the room and the scant amount of people in it, eyes dropping on Sora, whose eyes widened like saucers. The man smiled at the brunette. Without further encouragement, without asking and without any additional movement, somehow the brunette had registered it was time to follow after the man. Sora stood slowly and walked after him quietly, disappearing up the stairs. Axel looked at Roxas whose eyebrows were high on his forehead and his face pink.

***

They were alone. The bartender had excused himself to go have a smoke and everyone else had either headed home for the evening, or were occupied in one of the rooms. Axel had stretched himself along the entire length of the plush couch and Roxas was laying on top of him, listening to his heartbeat. They didn't know what time it was, but Sora had been gone for at least an hour by this point. Axel's fingers found the base of the blonde's hairline again and played idly.

"Hopefully he doesn't get attached," Roxas commented.

"Sephiroth won't let him," Axel responded. "Did you want another drink when the guy comes back?"

"No, I've had enough," the blonde said, reaching up to feel his flushed cheeks. He wasn't completely sloshed, but was definitely feeling better despite the tense air filled with heat and the smells of sex. "Do you think we'll have to sleep here if Sora doesn't come back down? Or if he passes out?"

"We have the option to if it comes to that. I'm not sure how long they'll be."

"Oh. Well it's nice to be by ourselves for once, anyway," the blonde nuzzled Axel's chest and kissed his heart through the fabric of his shirt. The redhead smiled.

"Yeah, it is," he agreed. The blonde fidgeted as his drinks were catching up to him. He pushed up off Axel.

"Where is the restroom?" he asked.

"Upstairs, did you want me to take you?" Axel offered. Roxas shook his head.

"I'll be fine."

"Okay, third door on the left once you reach the hall on the right."

"Okay," the blonde stood and made his way down the hall towards the stairs. He took note on how quiet it all was, they _had_ to be soundproofed. It was only logical considering their purpose. He padded up the spiral staircase and blinked against the sudden openness of the upstairs. The entire home seemed off. It had been customized to serve the purpose of these events, with the upstairs being cleared out for any added crowding. There was a small kitchen area, seating arrangements, and a fireplace, but not much else going on. The blonde was sure the other half of the home would contain Sephiroth's actual living quarters, on the opposite side of the dividing wall between the units. There were two hallways in either back corner of the open space. Third door on the right in the hall on the left? Sure.

Roxas headed down the small space and tested the third door on the right; it opened easily and silently but it wasn't the bathroom he was looking for. Writhing and panting on a large gothic four poster bed in the middle of the room was Sora, a head of silvery hair working away on his throat. The body and hips attached to the hair was pumping into the brunette with heightened fervor as his friend's cries of pleasure rung through his ears. Roxas snorted and hunched away from the door, pulling it gently closed behind him, hoping he didn't disturb anything. He backed away until his back touched the wall and panted a bit, eyes wide. He wandered loosely to the other hall and followed the correct directions this time, finding the bathroom. He relieved himself and made his way back down the stairs; Axel hiked a brow at him.

"Are you okay?" the redhead questioned. Roxas shook his head. "Did you throw up?" he asked, again the blonde shook his head. "Did you fall or something?" Another deny.

"I…" the blonde started, trailing off as his mind flooded with the images again. "I walked in on Sora and…" he trailed off again as his chest thumped. Axel covered his mouth as a grin tried to spread itself across his face.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be laughing," he said as he tried to hold back snickers. "You just look like someone killed your dog, I'm sorry," he started to laugh outright. The blonde tried to think past the visions but with little success. He furrowed his brows and sat roughly on the redhead's stomach causing him to cough out a laugh briefly but not deterring any more from rising. Roxas looked down at his hands and blushed, waiting for Axel to calm down. Eventually, the redhead got the hint and wiped at his eyes. "Aw, come on Roxas, I'm sorry. Don't look so forlorn."

"I'm not, I'm…" he hesitated. "I'm intrigued." Axel's eyes widened a little.

"_Are_ you now?" he asked with a sly smile. He hauled himself upright, causing the smaller boy to slide down into his lap sideways. Roxas nodded and looked up sheepishly at the redhead's eyes. Axel smiled. "Intrigued as in how? Like you want to watch or want to join?" the blonde hurriedly shook his head.

"Intrigued wouldn't be the right term for it then, if that's where it gets me," he huffed. Axel's smiled widened until he had an expanse of teeth showing. He leaned into the blonde's ear for a whisper, letting out a light purr as he spoke.

"You're trying to tell me you're _horny_ aren't you?" the blonde blushed wildly at the term and pulled away from Axel's breath in his ear. The redhead caught his face and turned his chin to face him fully. He locked eyes with the smaller boy and smiled. "Don't you run away from me," he demanded. The blonde's eyes were fearful. Axel's face softened. "This is really a problem for you isn't it?" Roxas nodded. "Well I don't really understand why it's any different now except maybe it's because we're not at home. Did you want me to see if I can help you?" He let go of the boy's chin and the blonde blushed.

"Help me… how?"

"The same way my friends and I helped Paine," he offered. "She's pretty reclusive if you haven't noticed. Reno, Rikku and I were helping her get adjusted to this sort of place, trying to steer her away from her obsession with Willow and Willow's… stuff," jade eyes averted momentarily but went back to Roxas' quickly. "She was really out of control, but when she was starting to get attached to me, I got in trouble and couldn't stick around. So that's why I had to apologize seven thousand times, but I digress," he grinned, "we can help you the same way, just to get you comfortable in your own skin. Paine is similar to you in that respect, she was abused too."

"They're not going to jump me are they?" the blonde asked suspiciously. Axel laughed.

"No, they understand the rules."

"Rules?"

"Yeah. The unspoken ones," Axel said and laid a kiss on the blonde's nose. Roxas took a moment to think and sighed. What did he have to lose? Not a whole lot. He just had to trust Axel. He nodded.

"Okay."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, I'll be right back," the redhead added quickly and hugged him before shuffling out from under the boy and heading down the hall, listening to the doors. He opened one after having a thoughtful face. He screamed into the room, "Reno!" the other man let out a yelp and Axel laughed, holding his sides. Angered squealing was coming from two female voices which only made the taller boy laugh harder. "I want your guy's help with something. We got a bust." A pillow came sailing into the doorway and Axel swatted it away easily. There was a conversation in the room before the redhead closed the door again. He sat next to Roxas with a pleased smile.

"What was that about?" the blonde asked with a surprised face.

"Just messing around with him, he scares easily. I couldn't resist. They said five minutes, then we head in. You're sure about this?"

"I trust you," the boy admitted quietly. Axel grinned.

"You really know how to make a girl feel loved, you know that?"

"Shut up, Axel."

***

"Just like Paine you say?" Reno asked. The small group sat in a circle in the small room; Rikku and Paine on either side of the shorter redhead, Axel and Roxas across from them. The girls were in various stages of undress, Rikku being completely topless and her friend without pants and an in oversized t-shirt; Reno was sitting lazily in his boxers. Roxas was completely flustered with their attire (or lack thereof) and focused on his hands which were neatly folded in his lap, with bright red cheeks. Axel was completely comfortable with the situation and nodded at Reno's statement.

"Almost exactly, except for the obvious gender difference," he said. Paine watched the redhead closely. The blonde boy was envious at their openness with themselves. He didn't feel he could be close to people like that. As Axel had said, he didn't even feel comfortable changing in front of him, and was usually acting on his hormones whenever they _did_ end up having sex in the past. Now, the atmosphere between the blonde and his counterpart was different. He could have sex with Axel, but could he _bond_ with him like other people did with their partners? Like _normal _people did? He wasn't sure, and it scared him.

"Well okay, what's his preference? Roxas?" Reno asked calmly.

"Hmm?" the blonde confirmed, but not looking up.

"Have you ever been with a girl before?" again, the same calmness. The blonde shook his head. Rikku let out a giggle and crawled to the boy, laying on her back and settling her head on Roxas' folded hands, looking up at him with a grin. Axel watched carefully.

"Hi," she said.

"Don't get out of control now," Axel warned. Rikku's eyes flicked to him briefly before resettling on Roxas' wide blue orbs. The boy wasn't about to look down at the line of her body, at her toplessness. He focused on her eyes, brilliantly green even in the low light of the small room.

"Can I hug you?" she asked. "I won't get offended if you refuse, but I am of the firm belief that _everyone_ is bisexual. It's to what extent, that makes everyone different, and since you've never been with a girl before I want you to try. It'll help you figure yourself out more. I promise," she said with a soothing voice. He squeezed his hands together more and felt his shoulders shake some. Rikku's face went to concern and reached up to rub her fingers over his cheek, he flinched, looking away. She sat up. "Wow, okay. That's new," she said. She went back to Reno's side and started to whisper in his ear with a cupped hand. Axel reached over and touched Roxas' shoulder; the blonde shifted his attention to him quickly. He offered the boy a reassuring smile before clearing the distance between them so the blonde could lean on his shoulder.

"Can I speak to him alone, please?" came a somber, quiet voice. All eyes turned to Paine. She looked directly at Roxas. "If that's alright with you." The blonde looked away at the wall for a moment before nodding slowly. Axel and Reno shrugged at each other and Rikku stood and left, the redheads following shortly after. The girl offered an insignificant smile. She was the most dressed of the other three, even though she didn't have any pants on. The fabric of her t-shirt pooled around her and the sleeves almost touched her wrists. She was the most… safe feeling. Roxas tried his best to smile.

"How long did it take you to feel comfortable with strangers like this?" he asked.

"A while. But you have to _want_ to feel comfortable. Is this really what you want? Or are you wanting only to be comfortable with Axel?" she asked carefully. The blonde was taken aback a little.

"Is it really that obvious?" She nodded. "Oh…" the blonde could feel the heat rising to his face again.

"There is something to be said about being thrust into uncomfortable situations and being pulled out of them by the one you care about. It strengthens the bond between you without forcing you to get deliberately intimate with each other. I have a feeling you two have had sex before. Am I correct?"

Roxas swallowed thickly and nodded some.

"But the dynamic is different between you two now. Your air doesn't say you're just casual partners anymore. Is that what you fear? Taking the next step?"

Another shaky nod. He couldn't meet her eyes.

"Well, we can't help you with the emotional aspect of this, but what we can do is help you feel more confident about yourself and being with people. The whole point of these parties, this lifestyle, is indulgence and feeling comfortable with yourself. If Sephiroth didn't have a decency policy for the safe room I can guarantee you that this place would turn into a nudist colony on most nights. It's a powerful thing to be able to be around people in that state. It's taken me a while to realize that, but I have." Paine pulled herself across the carpeting and resettled in front of Roxas with crossed legs. "I don't know your particular situation, but when they said you were 'just like Paine' I couldn't help but wonder what kind of abuse someone else put you through. You don't have to tell me, I'm not going to ask, but there comes a point when you need to move past it and open yourself to other new and more important challenges. Such as your relationship with Axel. I did, and now I have Reno."

Roxas took a deep, shaking breath. "I feel guilty." The girl reached up and picked a piece of fuzz off the top of one of his blonde spikes and reshaped it accordingly, it was a comforting feeling. Just the barest touch and he wasn't completely overwhelmed. It surprised him.

"Guilty towards Axel? It's really hard to offend him, you shouldn't worry. If he get's upset, he usually makes it pretty obvious."

"True, but I still feel like I'm holding him back in this department though."

"Well you shouldn't."

"But I _do_."

"But you _shouldn't_. So stop. Don't think about it, don't dwell on it, just let it go," she demanded. Roxas took another breath and let it out through his nose.

"I'll try."

"Fantastic. Now we can actually begin," she started. Roxas raised a brow at her; he thought they were already started. Apparently not. "Rikku's methods are a little abrupt and unorthodox, but she has the best intent. Don't punch her, and just take everything as it happens. She won't hurt you, and neither will I or Reno for that matter. Axel will be right by your side, so no fears, alright?" Just what exactly was she going to have him do? Roxas' heart started to speed up at the thought but kept her words in the back of his mind like a security blanket. She continued, "no guilt, either. Anything that happens in here stays in here. Anything we three do to you isn't personal. Axel knows that, and you should too. Accept it, because I'm going to go get them," she ordered and the blonde's eyes got just a bit bigger.

***

Roxas' mind wandered back to the first time he and Axel had an actual face to face meeting. The redhead had come to his room when he obviously had social problems and probably didn't want to; only to become so overwhelmed with himself he passed out on Roxas' carpet. The blonde couldn't help but smile at the situation now and it was a comforting feeling to know that his partner had moved past it all and was now his nearly constant companion. Why couldn't Roxas do the same? He was with him the same amount of time and yet his actions had pretty much stagnated. They had been through so much together in their short relationship, and Axel had made great strides with working through his anxiety, so what was wrong with Roxas? He didn't know, or particularly care, but he knew he had to work through it and deal. Just like Axel had.

Paine had left him to go and find the other three over twenty minutes ago. Roxas was left to himself, to think and absorb her words. The entire situation was going against everything he was ever taught as a child and it was comforting to know he could step outside his predetermined bubble. He smiled to himself, _cheap thrills right_? he thought. Just when he was starting to think they wouldn't come back, the door opened slowly and Rikku stepped in, Reno, Axel and Paine rounding in after her. Roxas had forgotten the girl was topless and his eyes were drawn straight to her chest without his realizing. He blushed wildly and looked away. She giggled.

"Sorry, I couldn't find my shirt or my bra before," she apologized.

"No, it's fine, I just forgot," the blonde admitted sheepishly.

"I got it!" Reno barked happily and snaked his hands under the girl's armpits and cupped her. Axel snickered.

"How Janet Jackson of you, I remember that cover of Rolling Stones."

"Oh man, that was _years_ ago. Now I feel old, thanks. Thanks a ton," Reno drooped and rested his head on Rikku's shoulder and heaved an overly fake sob. Roxas had no idea what they were talking about but it was a comical display so he smiled. Paine patted his head as she walked past them and went to sit next to the blonde who hadn't moved from his position on the floor. She gave him a small smile. He smiled back, which made Axel smile as he was closing the door. He took a seat on the other side of Roxas.

"How're you feeling?" he asked.

"Better. A lot better," the blonde said. Axel grinned.

"Good."

"So anyway, can I hug you yet?" Rikku repeated and broke out of her makeshift brassiere and strode over to Roxas. The boy blinked away from the view of her chest but nodded. Axel observed carefully as Roxas opened his arms for the girl and she twittered loudly before crouching and throwing herself on him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her hair spilled around them like a curtain and the boy hugged her back lightly, casting a semi-worried look to Axel to gauge his reaction. The redhead had his elbow balanced on his knee and his chin held in his palm with a smile. He wasn't offended, this was okay. Rikku huffed. "_More_ half-assed hugs? What the hell? Am I really such a leper?" she pouted. Reno laughed. Roxas tightened his hold on her and she smiled, resting her head on his shoulder and sighing. She released him and held his shoulders at arms length; she sat back on her legs, grinning. "Was that so bad?"

"No," Roxas admitted.

"Free hugs!" Reno cried and collided with Roxas' back, rubbing his face happily in between the boy's shoulder blades, squeezing him around the chest. The blonde yelped in surprise, looking at Axel. The redhead didn't move or give any indication that it wasn't alright, and it settled the smaller boy's nerves considerably. He wasn't going to get angry, this was okay. Reno wasn't as willing to let go as Rikku was and he settled against Roxas' back with a sigh. Without asking, Paine moved forward and wrapped an arm around Reno's shoulders and draped her free arm in front of the blonde's chest and held on to his opposite shoulder; she laid her head on the boy's forearm. Rikku giggled and rewrapped herself around Roxas' neck and settled her cheek against the top of Paine's head. Roxas watched Axel with wide eyes.

"You okay still?" the redhead asked simply. The blonde took a moment to take in the feeling of having three strange bodies of mixed genders touching him. He wasn't on fire, he wasn't dying, and he wasn't having a panic attack. He felt warm and comforted; it was just hugging after all. He nodded.

"Yeah. I'm okay," he said quietly. Axel grinned.

"Good, I'm glad." The taller boy moved forward and weaved an arm around the blonde's waist underneath Reno. He moved the other one in front underneath Rikku and hugged the boy as close as he could with the added obstacles. Roxas blushed some as Axel's face drew close to his and nuzzled the expanse of skin behind and underneath the blonde's ear. Rikku took notice of Axel's move and used a finger to poke the top of Reno's head behind the boy's back, and rubbed her cheek in Paine's hair. Roxas suddenly had the feeling he was being ganged up on as everyone started to move.

***

Sora sighed happily. He would have to remember to thank Axel for such a nice gift. Sephiroth had left him for a moment to go make sure everything was alright downstairs. The man had been gentle enough with him that nothing hurt, but forceful enough to satisfy his own needs. The brunette took a breath and rubbed his face in the full length downy pillow and inhaled the man's scent. His body was covered in a thin film of saliva and sweat but regardless of how sticky it felt, he didn't feel like he was dirty, which was his biggest fear.

Sephiroth didn't remind him of Riku anymore. He knew in the back of his mind that he wasn't supposed to get attached and take it all personally but it was difficult for him. The man was nice, careful, and attentive to every word and noise the brunette had dished out to him. He seemed so stable and secure, but he remembered he already had all that with Roxas. This was just sex, the only thing his blonde friend wouldn't give him. He supposed he should be happy with that. He wondered if Sephiroth would give him his phone number. Call him up for a booty call every now and again maybe? He giggled to himself and hugged the pillow to his face. The door opened again and said silver haired man strode back into the room, peeling his shirt off again. Sora watched it float away and sat up.

"Everything good?" the brunette asked, trying his best to give the man his cutest face. He nodded.

"Just fine. Your friends finally joined someone though, I didn't exactly go through all the rooms to find them, but they're gone from the safe room," he said calmly, undoing his pants. Sora's eyes flew wide.

"Whoa. Really?" he said in disbelief. He was almost angry that Roxas could jump on a pile of naked people but he wouldn't put out to him properly.

"Really really," Sephiroth confirmed shuffling himself into the bed again. Sora furrowed his brows together with this new information but he didn't have much time to ponder it any further before the man pushed him back into the pillows.

* * *

A/N: The issue of Rolling Stones Axel was talking about, is the September 1993 issue with Janet Jackson on the cover. I remember the controversy behind that one. Oh man, such a big deal. Whenever I see boobs cupped in hands, that's what I think of. Oh god... I was only 5 when that happened. WHY DO I REMEMBER THESE THINGS!? D:

Bring your tissues and nosebleed guards next chapter.


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer**: *Headdesk from loss of blood*

Chapter 33

Every nerve ending, hair follicle, and synapse that belonged on Roxas' small frame sprang to life. Axel felt the blonde tense up and gave his waist a squeeze to remind him that he wasn't dying. Rikku was leaving a trail of light kisses down the other blonde's jaw line and neck, Paine gave his other ear a nuzzle and a nip, and Reno's hands slowly eased their way under the boy's shirt. His pulse sped up. His eyes were locked forward and staring into the wall, a look of shock on his face. Axel made no move to help him for what seemed like an eternity.

"Relax," was all he heard from the redhead whisper. Roxas took a breath. "If it gets too bad just tell us and we'll stop," he cooed. Inside his shoes, the blonde's toes curled under the feeling of so many foreign hands on him. He was having an internal battle with himself on weather or not he was okay with all this. On the one hand, Axel's hands were on him; not moving, but there. On the other hand, the other three sets _weren't_ Axel's. His flustered mind couldn't comprehend and give himself a clear answer on weather or not it was too much. An anxiety filled shiver spread down his spine, sending ripples all over his skin. Axel's tongue traveled along the thin line of the shell of his ear. His face turned immediately, glittering jade eyes shocking him out of his fuzziness. The redhead smiled. "Hi."

Roxas blinked, "hi…" was all he managed to squeak out. Reno's hands traveled upwards, bumping into Axel's arms on the outside of the boy's shirt. Axel released the blonde's waist and traced a finger along Roxas' cheek moving down to his jaw line. Rikku shifted to the boy's collar, Paine smoothed her hands down his arm, kneading as she went. Roxas felt his hand in hers as she lifted it and pressed his palm into Rikku's breast. His eyes widened but were still locked with Axel's. The redhead looked down at the activity and looked back to his face. He shrugged and smiled.

"Not too bad?" he asked quietly. The boy took a moment to catch his breath before shaking his head.

"Not too bad," Roxas mimicked. Axel grinned and rubbed noses with him before resting his forehead against the blonde's. Having Rikku's soft tissue in his hand didn't really do much for him but if Paine wanted it there, he could leave it there, it wasn't acidic. He shivered though when Reno's thin fingers traveled up his chest. The other redhead's index and middle finger sneaked out of the collar of his shirt and pressed themselves into the blonde's pulse. Rikku sat up and pressed Roxas' hand harder against her. Roxas was confused.

"You're going to have a heart attack, peach. You need to calm some," Reno said from behind him. He moved his fingers out of the blonde's carotid artery and hugged him. "We don't bite unless you say it's okay." Axel let go of Roxas' face and sat back; the boy took a breath, able to move a bit without Rikku pressed against his front. Paine moved away as well. Reno released him. Roxas pulled his hand away from Rikku and rubbed his face. The blonde girl smiled.

"Okay so far? You still have all your clothes on," she said. Roxas nodded, trying to keep from blushing too horribly. She reached up and ran her knuckles over his cheek gingerly. "Can I kiss you?" she asked then flicked her eyes to Axel, "can I Ax?" The redhead looked contemplative for a moment and shrugged.

"I don't mind, so long as Roxas is okay with it," he said. Out of the corner of his eye Roxas could see Reno's hand come around him and poke the other redhead. They commenced a silent conversation with various facial expressions and gestures the blonde couldn't understand. Roxas forced his attention onto the girl in front of him. She smiled.

"Please? You have the nicest lips," she cooed. Roxas looked to Axel who was still distracted and facing away from him. He thought about it and figured that if boobs weren't going to do it for him, a kiss probably wouldn't do much either, thus keeping the guilt level at a minimum for him. He took a breath and nodded. She giggled and came forward; she simply looked into his eyes for a moment before pressing herself forward tested him with a quick peck. He blinked. She grinned and pressed further, lingering more. Paine watched with interest.

The things Sora would say about women flooded back to Roxas in droves. The constant denial of the female form didn't seem warranted with new physical information he had to process. He wasn't exactly totally excited when Rikku wrapped her tongue around his, playing with the piece of metal lodged in it, but he wasn't revolted like his brunette friend would have been. Then he wondered if Sora had ever actually been with a girl before, and if he had anything to base his protests on. A delicate hand slid across his thigh and he broke his kiss with Rikku to look over, meeting a pair of dark eyes, just inches from his face. His eyebrows hiked up his forehead as Paine pressed her lips to his in the same fashion as Rikku had.

Axel was about to beat Reno into a pulp if he didn't stop making accusations with his face and taunting him. He had completely lost track of the point of this endeavor and was pleading with the taller redhead for things Axel had made clear he wasn't allowed to have with regards to Roxas. Reno's eyes flicked to the boy briefly before going back to Axel's blazing green ones. He did a double take then pointed at them, diverting his tattooed friend's attention to them as well. Axel's eyebrow nearly shot off his face and through the roof with how quickly it rose when he took everything in.

Rikku grinned at Axel and gave him a little wave with her fingertips; Roxas was busy with Paine still, a hand on her cheek keeping them together. Reno looked between Axel and Roxas a few times before giving a wolfish grin to anyone who noticed. He resituated his position before launching himself at the other redhead. Axel let out a surprised yelp as he was knocked backwards, quickly becoming muffled under the press of Reno's mouth. Roxas startled, broke his kiss with Paine and blushed when he noticed the activity. Axel's eyes were wide as he shoved his friend off of him, Reno grinned.

"Reno, you ass, you're not allowed remember?" Rikku yapped at him with a glare. Reno didn't respond, he simply sat back and smiled, wiggling his toes.

"Not allowed?" Roxas questioned. Axel wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and nodded.

"We set some ground rules before we came in, but apparently _someone_ has the sensibility of a brick," he growled, glaring at the other redhead.

"Oh but Ax, you looked so lonely," Reno taunted.

"I did not," Axel spat. Roxas realized the rules were probably surrounding his issues with sharing the redhead. His redhead. No one else's. Had he looked lonely? Roxas was too distracted to notice, and berated himself when he started to feel guilty, keeping Paine's words front and center. He took a sobering breath.

"It's okay," he said quietly. Axel looked at him with a questioning face. "It's not personal, right?"

"Uh…yeah, but I mean… really?" the redhead stuttered, studying his blonde counterpart carefully for any sign of uneasiness. Roxas pulled his lower lip in between his teeth in quick thought before nodding.

"Yeah." Roxas blushed at himself. He wouldn't openly admit it but seeing Reno smothering Axel had excited him some. The redhead smiled fondly at him before giving harsh eyes to Reno, who whistled innocently. Axel moved into the line of sight off to the side of Rikku before crooking a finger at the other redhead. Reno crawled his way to Axel but before he could have any niceties, the tattooed one grabbed the tail of red hair at the base of his skull and wrenched his face sideways, pulling his body with it. Roxas' eyes grew a bit bigger as Axel wrapped his mouth around the other's, holding his jaw in tight fingers. Reno didn't seem to mind the roughness. A hand snaked it's way to lead Roxas' face back to Rikku's. She smiled.

Reno's eyes were closed. Which was fine because Axel didn't want to seem distracted with the other's tongue in his throat; he was watching Roxas though, failing miserably at his intent. Rikku had taken back the blonde's attention and was smoothing her hands up his torso under his shirt while Paine's tongue danced over his throat. Roxas' cheeks were flushed but didn't seem all that excited elsewhere. From the angle he was in, he had a clear view of the blonde's lap and nothing was stirring. Curious, Axel released Reno, who protested with a furrow of the brows and a glare. Try as they might, the girls were doing nothing for the smaller boy other than coating his neck in saliva. Reno followed Axel's line of sight and noticed too. Taking it upon himself to rectify the situation, Reno reached over and gave one of Rikku's belt loops a tug. She looked to him. He winked.

"Sorry girls, this one isn't for you," he said calmly. The blonde girl gave Roxas one more look over and sighed, sitting back. The boy was confused and watched the two redheads and the only one that mattered to him was watching right back. Rikku looked to Paine, who shrugged. The lack of verbal communication between everyone in the room thus far was starting to weigh on Roxas and he was fighting back frustration caused by the idea that everyone knew what was going on but him. The girls both leaned forward and planted light kisses on his face together before standing and making for the door.

"Wait, what just happened?" Roxas asked with a raised brow. Axel let go of Reno completely and went to him and smiled.

"Girls just aren't your thing, Roxas," the redhead said and took his hand. Axel stood and pulled the blonde towards the bed, sitting on the edge and patting his lap.

"Okay, I already knew that but it still doesn't explain what we're doing," he persisted. He sat on the redhead's knees and the other wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling the blonde's back against his chest. Reno stood from his position on the floor and stretched himself towards the ceiling, cracking his joints in the effort. Axel nuzzled his face behind Roxas' ear and whispered.

"You sure you want to sit like this?" he questioned. Roxas reached back over his shoulder to pull a piece of red hair around to play with, as a measure of comfort. He was more relaxed now that the number of unfamiliar people in the room had dwindled and that now they all shared the same familiar anatomy. After observing the display the two redheads put on with each other it was clear that Reno wasn't much of a predator. He was confused by Axel's question though.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked back. Axel shrugged.

"Just making sure." He weaved his fingers under the boy's shirt and started to lift. Roxas didn't put up too much of a fight as the fabric slipped over his head and out from under his arms. Axel wrapped as much of his arms around the blonde as he could, skewing the view of his skin from Reno. "Okay?" he asked into his ear. Roxas could feel the blush rise to his cheeks again but he nodded. Still no fire, still no brimstone. Reno grinned and went to them, kneeling in front of their knees.

"S'cuse me," he said before wiggling his fingered in between Roxas' knees and prying his legs apart. The blonde's heart rate tipped the scales into a level of new speed. Reno didn't do anything the blonde was expecting him to do, though. Axel opened his legs as well and the other redhead laced his arms behind them and laid his head on Roxas' stomach. He squeezed both of them to his face. "Aw, you guys are great. So cuddly," he said happily with a joyful smile. Roxas couldn't help but smile some as well. He tentatively reached forward and touched Reno's hair. It was soft and incredibly fine, a deep contrast to Axel's unruly mane. For the direct purpose of gathering more data, Roxas reached around with his other hand and stuffed it into Axel's hair to compare. Axel laughed and kissed his neck. A wet line created itself next to Roxas' navel suddenly as Reno dragged the tip of his tongue across his skin. He shivered.

Axel could feel the blonde tense up on his lap. The hand in his hair tightened some giving him the indication that Roxas was feeling uneasy. Reno began blazing a trail across the boy's stomach with his tongue and Roxas pulled his lower lip in between his teeth and watched with timid eyes. Axel smoothed his hand up the smaller boy's arm and took the fist out of his follicles. He kissed his fingers, bringing blue eyes to him slowly. Once he had the blonde's attention, he pulled a fingertip into his mouth and gave it a light suck. Roxas' eyes glossed over, and the tension left his face.

_Got him_, Axel thought.

***

Sora panted. He didn't know what Sephiroth was doing to him exactly but it was wonderful. All he could process was the pool of silver hair that was spilled over his lap and on his torso and the intense heat wrapped around his erection. Before he could fully understand, the tingling in the pit of his stomach intensified and he grabbed a fistful of silver as he was thrown over the edge into climax. Again. He fell back against the bed, exhausted. His limbs twitched. Sephiroth sat up, stretching his arms over his head and giving his neck a pop. He looked to the brunette with a raised brow.

"Tired?" he asked simply.

"How can I not be?" Sora said breathlessly. Sephiroth smiled and chuckled under his breath, a velvety noise that made the brunette's nerves tingle and would've probably excited him again if he wasn't so spent. "What time is it?" he yawned and curled onto his side, pulling a pillow to his face. He was quick to notice that Sephiroth wasn't much of a cuddly individual so whenever he wanted a nice hug he would have to settle for a stuffed substitute. The man went to look at the watch on his wrist but realized it wasn't there anymore and left the bed to dig around in his pants pocket.

"Four thirty," he said. Sora startled and his eyes went wide. He sat up.

"Holy shit, we've been up here for four hours? Oh god, Roxxy and Axel must be dead," he said worriedly.

"Relax, I'll go see if I can find them," the silvery man offered and started to pull on his pants. Sora sighed. Even if he was to leap out of the bed and run to their rescue, he wasn't sure his legs could carry him. He settled back against the mattress and watched the ceiling. Sephiroth left.

The brunette yawned again. Without the constant stimulus to keep him awake, he was quickly drifting off. He rubbed his eyes and sat up again. "So tired…" he whined to no one in particular. He tried his best to haul himself out of the bed and head for the bathroom door in the corner of the room. He leaned on the cold doorway for a moment before padding in and taking a look at himself in the mirror. The bags under his eyes had receded, his skin looked healthier and his muscles less tense. Sex was a beautiful thing. The best kind of make-up. Aside from the splattering of hickeys on his chest, he was otherwise unharmed. Sephiroth was kind enough to keep the marks in an easy to hide place. He stretched and rolled his joints back to life, before using the sink to splash some water on his face. He heard the door close.

"Your friends are still occupied," Sephiroth called to him. Sora left the bathroom to join him again. "I surmise they will probably spend the night here, if you wish too as well."

"Oh…" the brunette started. He would probably have to sleep by himself, Sephiroth didn't give the impression he would let the boy cling to him.

"Is that a problem? We have clean beds, if that's the issue. Or I can get them to stop and take you home."

"No, don't bother them. They need this, I've been an ass to them for a while," Sora made his way to his clothing and started to dress himself.

"I'll go open a room for you then," Sephiroth added and left him again. Sora sighed and prepared himself for the long night.

***

Reno's hands kneaded the inside of Roxas' thighs through his pants. The blonde's twitching leg was the only thing giving him any indication that he felt it; his face was fixed on Axel's. The shorter redhead was fascinated by the emotion the two shared between them even with the taller redhead barely touching him. It was a wonder that Roxas wasn't more comfortable with him, but even Axel couldn't fully explain why the boy was having problems; he only knew that they were there and they needed to be fixed. Reno was happy to help; he knew how to push Axel's buttons already, so why not use those to move things along a little?

Treading cautiously, Reno inched his fingertips inward toward Roxas' zipper. Once his hand ran over the bulge found underneath, Roxas' face snapped back to him, bringing Axel's attention with it. The taller redhead took in what Reno was going to do and pulled Roxas' jaw back to the side and pressed their lips together, keeping his eye on the other redhead's hands. Roxas' breathing sped up as he felt someone tugging on his belt. He fought the urge to break his kiss with Axel and opted to open his eyes and see his expression. Axel was watching over the movement closely, everything was okay. The blonde just needed to convince himself to calm down. He closed his worried eyes again and concentrated on the feeling of Axel's tongue dancing with his.

Reno had Roxas' pants open. Axel kept on hand on the blonde's face and smoothed the other down the line of the boy's torso, shuffling his fingertips under the tops of his boxers. The blonde pulled away from him and locked their eyes. Roxas' face was flushed, panting, and absolutely slack with need. Axel's eyes glittered hungrily at the expression, he grinned and let go of the blonde's face so he could use the free hand to join the other. Roxas let his head settle back and lean against the redhead's neck, his skin igniting along the path the taller boy's fingers traveled. Reno grabbed the fabric covering the lower half of the smaller boy's body gave it a firm tug, pulling everything down a few inches. Axel's hand followed the line of blonde hair on the boy's stomach until he could wrap a hand around Roxas' member and pull him into the open air. The blonde immediately closed his eyes at the sight and turned his face into the line of Axel's neck.

"Not okay?" the taller redhead asked quietly. Roxas took a minute to catch his breath and consider what would happen if he said it was.

"I… yes. It's okay," he panted. Axel smiled devilishly at Reno who reciprocated the look without Roxas noticing. The blonde's eyes flew open when he felt a different hand on him. He reached around again and held onto Axel's hair with one hand and his forearm with the other. The taller redhead buried his mouth into the meat of the smaller boy's shoulder and gave him a nibble. Reno gave the blonde's length a stroke, watching his face carefully. Roxas sucked in a breath at the feeling and shifted his gaze back to his lap. Reno smiled at him briefly before giving the tip a lick, Roxas' thighs twitched. Axel watched the activity through a piece of his hair.

"You have no idea what this does to me," the taller redhead purred into Roxas' skin. The blonde shivered against his voice and leaned the rest of his weight against Axel's chest. Reno grinned and dragged his tongue on Roxas' underside before enveloping the head completely and moving down. The blonde gasped and closed his eyes with the feeling. Axel reached forward and intertwined his fingers in the other redhead's hair, pushing downward until his lips met with Roxas' pelvis. Roxas' hand in the taller redhead's hair tightened, eliciting another breathy purr into his skin.

Axel was patiently waiting for his turn. His skin tingled with the view of Reno pleasing Roxas with his direction and it was beginning to become difficult to ignore his own needs. His pants were strangling him and he was reminded why he switched to wearing bigger ones in the first place. Added to that the weight of Roxas' hips pushing against him; it was enough to make him want to simply shove the blonde over and jump him. But he had to be patient. He smoothed his free hand over the smaller boy's torso, petting him, studying him. Roxas' panting started to become more heightened as Reno continued under Axel's palm. The blonde pulled on his hair as his shoulders tensed and Axel knew he was close. He took his hand off of the back of Reno's head and the shorter redhead released Roxas from his mouth and used his hand to feverishly stroke him. The blonde broke out in a thin film of perspiration at the new and overwhelming sensation and before he could catch his breath from the previous feelings, he climaxed, letting out a strangled squeak through gritted teeth. Axel held the boy to his chest until all twitching ceased and Roxas relaxed back, panting. Reno released him, searching around for a towel or a box of tissues. Axel kissed Roxas' hair.

"Okay?" he asked. Roxas nodded silently, catching his breath. "Ready for more?" With this, the blonde looked at him with a confused face.

"There's more?" he asked timidly.

"Well _I_ haven't had a turn yet. We don't have to if you don't want to," he cooed, hoping that Roxas wouldn't deny him. He hugged the boy tightly, waiting for him to consider. Reno stood, wiping his hand off in a mass of tissues, waiting for a response as well. The blonde noticed the shorter redhead was fully erect, pulling his boxers taught. He wasn't sure if he wanted Reno to go any further with him. Axel noticed his line of sight and realized the mixed messages. "Just you and me, Reno's done with us," he added, feeling the blonde relax some.

"Okay," Roxas said finally. That was the cue Reno needed and left the room. Axel smiled and pulled the blonde sideways and reached for his shoes. He pulled them off of his feet and Roxas took the hint to slide himself off Axel's lap and sit on the bed, wiggling fully out of his pants. The redhead pulled his shirt off quickly and tossed it on the pile. He stood and went to a small table, pulling open the drawer and retrieving a bottle. The thin sheet on the bed wasn't much of a cover but it did offer the blonde some modesty as he pulled it over his lap and watched Axel with curious eyes. He took stock of his emotions at the moment while his partner was distracted. He didn't feel jittery, he didn't feel nervous, he didn't feel scared, but he was wondering how much he could continue. How far would Axel take it? Before he let himself doubt anything, he pushed the ideas away and decided to just trust him.

***

Sora couldn't sleep. Sephiroth had left him alone in the new bedroom over an hour ago and he had the sinking feeling that he wouldn't see Axel or Roxas any time soon. The sun was starting to rise outside, turning the sky from pitch black to a dark gray. He sighed. He was tired, but could only roll around by himself without anyone to cling to. He wondered if Sephiroth was still awake. He probably was, but he couldn't chance making him angry. The brunette decided to take a walk and headed for the door silently. He padded down the hall and out into the main gathering space. Empty. He headed for the stairs.

He could see a few people down the hall standing around in the safe room. Two of which were the girls that had greeted Axel when they had first arrived, the other of which was Axel's near twin, Reno. Sora furrowed his brows at their lack of clothing, especially the girl's. He gasped a little when Reno turned to the side and he saw the enormous erection in the redhead's boxers.

"Hey Sora," Rikku greeted when the brunette caught up to them.

"Is there something I should be aware of?" he asked her, eyeing her suspicious showing of breasts. Paine was less disturbing, at least she was covered, even without pants.

"Not really, why?" she asked.

"Just seems like I'm missing out on something important," he said. He looked up at Reno with a raised brow. "What about you?"

"What _about_ me? What, are you offering to help me with my boner?" Reno chirped nonchalantly.

"No thanks, I'm totally done for the next week," Sora said and waved his hand dismissively. Reno laughed.

"Well good, we're just giving Ax another five before we all head back in anyway."

"What's Axel doing?"

"Conditioning Roxas."

"'Conditioning' him?" the brunette ask with confusion. Just what had they been doing without him? "What does that entail, exactly?"

"We're not supposed to kiss and tell," Paine added quickly. Sora suddenly felt left out. Here Roxas was having a romp with a bunch of people at once, and he couldn't even give him a taste? That wasn't fair. He pouted.

"Can I come?" he asked.

"I thought you were done," Reno said. Sora shrugged.

"I at least want to see. I'm too damn curious for my own good."

***

Roxas sighed happily as Axel buried his face into his pulse. The redhead still had his jeans on and left the covers off of them but the blonde didn't mind so long as it was just them. Just like this. The redhead kissed a line down his throat towards his chest and used his hands to give his body a light massage to calm him further. The blonde reveled in all the attention and smiled.

"Still okay?" Axel asked when he reached the blonde's navel.

"Mhm, I'm fine."

"Good," the redhead responded and rubbed his face into the blonde's stomach. He ran his hands over Roxas' pelvis, moving around to rub the underside of his thighs. The smaller boy's skin broke out goosebumps and he reached down to run his fingers through Axel's hair. The redhead responded by giving him and pleased grunt and pulling at the skin of his stomach with his teeth. The blonde sucked in a breath at the feeling as it sent a tingle through his limbs. Axel's hands continued to travel over the lower half of the blonde until the smaller boy could feel himself becoming excited again. His skin flushed and the hairs everywhere on his body stood up as he became aware of what Axel wanted from him. He propped himself up on his elbows.

Axel rose to his knees and undid his pants, giving the blonde a lustful once over. Roxas swallowed, taking in the sight of the redhead freeing himself from the tight fabric. He kicked the denim away and crawled back between the blonde's legs, settling against him with a smile. The blonde sat up some, running a hand over Axel's chest. The redhead relaxed against his palm before taking it in his hands and giving it a kiss. He lowered himself to lie on the blonde and rested their foreheads together. Roxas pushed up and pressed their lips together gingerly at first, but increased his intensity when Axel's hand traveled under his thigh again, lifting him to meet his hips.

The redhead reached around and found the bottle of lube where he had tossed it earlier. He left their kiss to squeeze a portion in his hand and spread the substance on his length. Roxas' eyes traveled between them and his skin tingled anew with the sight of Axel stroking himself. Axel smiled but didn't let on that he noticed the blonde watching him. He gave him a few more seconds of watching before he used the excess liquid to push a finger into the blonde. Roxas sucked in a breath and relaxed back against the mattress. Axel pressed their mouths together again and continued to stretch him. The blonde sighed against his lips and wrapped his arms around his neck.

The door opened. Roxas startled and pulled away from Axel's lips to gape as Reno staggered backwards into the room with Paine attached to his torso, their mouths together, trying to suck the life from one another. Rikku strode in after them and closed the door. Reno's knees knocked into the other bed and fell backwards, taking the girl with him. Rikku wiggled out of her pants quickly and Paine thrust the shirt off of herself. Before he could process what else was progressing across the way, Axel pushed himself inside the blonde, snapping his attention back to him with a gasp. The redhead fixed their positioning so that most of their one side was completely open and exposed to the other party which was writing around just as much on the other bed. Roxas blushed and fought the urge to cover himself. He didn't have too long to dwell on the feelings before Axel lifted his leg and started to pump into him.

There were pleasurable squeals coming from the opposite bed that kept vying for the blonde's interest. But every time his eyes drifted away Axel would smack into his hips with such force he wouldn't have any choice by to cry out himself and pay attention. The redhead was determined to make Roxas focus on him and him alone. The amount of want and lust in his eyes was enough to send shivers up the blonde's spine and want more. Eventually, the redhead eased his leg down and dropped onto his neck lapping away the tastes that Rikku and Paine had left before him. Roxas clung to the taller boy, digging his nails into his shoulders.

Axel's movements were becoming more irregular as he felt himself growing closer to the edge. He snaked a hand between them and started to stroke Roxas, causing the blonde to grit his teeth and squeeze his eyes closed under the feeling. The smaller boy's thighs jolted erratically and after a few quick movements of the wrist, he let out the breath he was holding in a gasp as a new string of white spread itself across his stomach. Satisfied, Axel released him and pulled his thighs down to meet his hips, pounding into him several more times before choking back a loud grunt, holding the blonde against him as he climaxed. He panted and looked to Roxas' face which was slack and panting with his eyes closed.

He eased out of the smaller boy and laid himself along side of him, pulling the thin sheet over them again. Roxas lay still for a moment before rolling himself over into Axel's chest, turning away from the images across the room. The redhead hugged him close and kissed his hair. Axel watched the show between the threesome with miniscule interest. He was waiting more for them to finish than anything else. Paine had her face buried between Rikku's legs and Reno was pumping into Paine from behind. It took them a good fifteen minutes to be sated and they all fell into a sweaty pile together. Roxas took the cue and turned himself around so his back was against Axel's chest, keeping the blanket from falling away.

The door opened again and Sora walked in. Axel started to laugh and Roxas pulled the sheet up higher. The brunette walked over to them, ignoring the trio, and folded his arms, looking down at them and tapping his foot impatiently.

"You guys suck, you know that?" the brunette spat.

"Why do you say that?" Roxas questioned.

"Because I wasn't invited."

"You were busy."

"Yeah but this was more important," he pouted. "Now it's like six in the morning and I'm really tired. I've been done since four thirty."

"It's six in the morning?"

"Yeah."

"Oops," the blonde said, blushing and pulling the covers over his head, hiding. A pale arm draped itself over Sora's shoulder and a crown of obnoxious blonde hair appeared behind him.

"Aw come on Sora baby, you can come to bed with me if you feel left out," Rikku twittered. Sora squealed and dashed away from her. He dropped to the floor and hid behind the foot of the bed, peeking over it at her with a glare. The girl was left standing completely naked in front of Roxas and Axel. She quirked a brow at Sora. "What's_ your_ problem?"

"He's afraid of vaginas," Axel said. Roxas peeked over the top of the covers and down at his brunette friend. His eyes traveled over to Rikku who didn't seem so out of place anymore, considering recent events. She wasn't scary and evil, just naked. He wiggled himself out from under Axel's arm and scooted over to the edge of the bed and grabbed her hand. She looked to him with a tilt of the head and Roxas pulled her over as he moved back towards Axel. She crawled in after him and he repositioned himself under the redhead's arm again. She giggled and curled under Roxas' arm and hugged herself to his chest. Axel extended his reach to include the girl.

"Goodnight, Sora," Roxas said.

"Hey!" the brunette squealed.

***

"Oh my god it's like hot dripping sex in the mouth!" Rikku exclaimed and pressed herself against the glass of the back door to Axel's car. Reno had relatively the same reaction and threw himself at the vehicle, giving it a hug.

"Holy shit dude, what have you been up to without us?" he asked with a grin. Roxas opened the front passenger's door and slid inside; Axel snuffed out his cigarette and did the same to the driver's side without answering. Sora grumbled and got in the back on the opposite side that had the breasts on it. Rikku, Paine and Reno slid in from the other side. Immediately, Rikku draped an arm around the back of Sora's seat and leaned on him, garnering a pout. Roxas poked around on his Blackberry and lifted it to his ear, listening for a pickup.

"Demyx," he said.

"Where have you been? You said you were going to a party, not a sleepover!" the man squealed from the other line.

"Never mind that, we're having guests."

"What!? It's like seven in the morning, who the hell are you dragging home?"

"Some friends, make enough breakfast for six."

"Six!? Why are you doing this to me!? I've been good, I haven't earned this punishment."

"Stop being a drama queen and get to work," Roxas barked and hung up before any more protests could be heard. Axel laughed.

"He's going to think you hate him if you keep doing that," he said. Roxas grinned as he stuffed the phone back in his pocket.

"He'll get over it."

"So like, are you totally loaded or whatever now Ax?" Reno chimed from the back seat as Axel turned onto the main road.

"Nope," he answered.

"I am," Roxas blurted. Reno blinked in shock.

"I _thought_ I recognized you from somewhere," he started. "You're _the_ Roxas Meadows, aren't you?" Paine settled herself under the shorter redhead's arm and leaned on his chest.

"That I am. Does it change anything?" the blonde asked calmly.

"Nope. Just making sure. We're good about keeping our mouths shut about our little soirées. No squeaking, girls," he ordered and the females nodded.

"That's so cool though! Oh man," Rikku exclaimed and slouched under her seat belt. Sora crossed his arms and huffed. "I'd give anything to be that loaded. Like for serious. It'd save me the trouble of like… paying bills." Roxas shrugged.

"I probably make just as much as anyone else, except with a couple extra zeros. Which coincidentally makes my bills have a couple extra zeros. It evens out."

"We start school on Monday don't we?" Axel said, changing the subject.

"Oh yeah! Damn, I totally forgot to get my books. Oh well, do it later," Rikku said.

"We'll be starting then, too," Reno said and nudged Paine, who nodded quietly. Sora sighed. There was a silence between them when the subject dropped off and no one could think of what to say.

"So what do you do, Reno?" Roxas asked, curling his fist under his chin and looking out the window at the passing buildings.

"Hm? Oh, I work for Seph actually. I'm like his gopher and personal bitch. I answer the phones and file crap all day, it's totally not my chosen career path but it's a job."

"I wouldn't openly admit you're his bitch," Paine added.

"Secretary makes me sound like a pansy though."

"It's better than 'bitch.'"

"Well I guess, if you want to get technical."

"What does Sephiroth do?" Roxas asked.

"He works for MakoCorps." Rikku said. Roxas sat up and turned in his seat to look at them.

"You're serious?"

"Yeah, why? Is that a problem?"

"No, my brother is Vice President of that company, what department does Sephiroth work in?"

"Uumm…" Rikku drawled and held a finger to her mouth to emphasize her thinking face. "He's some sort of software programmer. I don't exactly remember the details. I know he's pretty high up though. Enough to have his own office and a personal bitch anyway." Reno snorted.

"Huh. Interesting," Roxas added and turned around again, sitting back.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

"Hey Roxas?"

"Yes Reno?"

"Who was that babe with the antenna for hair?"

"…That would be my mother."

"No foolin'?"

"Afraid not."

"Is she single?"

"Oh god Reno! Stop!" Axel barked and smashed a pillow into the other redhead's face. "Ugh! That's nasty!"

"Seriously," Paine chimed and punched him in the ribs. The entire gaggle of bodies was piled into the theater except for Sora. After a filling breakfast, they were left without much to do. Everyone else in the household was still in the beginning stages of waking up and no introductions were made. The brunette had wandered off to find Zexion, in order to force him into the bed and take a nap. There was a brief tour of the manor but the unanimous vote was to sit around and make fun of movies together. It was a relaxing scene for Axel and Roxas, as this was the first time for both of them to sit around with friends and just be normal. Not damaged, not traumatized, but normal young adults. No one had asked why Axel and Sora were living there, and no one questioned the other mismatch of people. Roxas was thankful for the group's abilities to keep to themselves. Reno coughed and held his sides.

"Okay okay! I take it back!" he cried as Paine continued to beat on him. "I'm sorry!"

"If you wanna see cute you should take a look at Roxas' baby pictures," Axel added with a wide grin. Roxas whirled on him, shooting daggers from his pupils.

"Axel," he growled in a warning tone.

"Yes Roxas?"

"Baby pictures!?" Rikku squealed and leapt from her seat. "Where!?"

"Nowhere!" Roxas yelled, cheeks turning a deep crimson. He quickly took up the panel remote and shoved it into the redhead's hands. "Pick a movie," he ordered. Axel snickered and flipped through the library. Rikku huffed as the dynamic switched away from the idea of baby pictures and plopped herself next to Roxas and stretched out into his lap. The blonde raised a brow and looked to Axel, who shrugged. Instead of settling his hands on her anywhere, he picked a lock of hair to fiddle with. Paine stopped her assault and stretched herself across Rikku, Reno following suit onto Paine.

"Is this normal?" Roxas asked.

"What?" Rikku asked.

"Laying around together like this?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?"

"I've never done this before."

"Really?" large green eyes shifted up to look at him. He nodded.

"Really."

"Well, you're welcome to do it with us anytime," she smiled. "Innuendo and no innuendo included," she giggled. "Speaking of which, can we expect you guys back at Seph's next week? Same time same place?" The blonde and the redhead both shrugged.

"We start school on Monday, remember? We'll have to get back to you on that," Axel said, Roxas nodded in agreement. Axel yawned. The beginning scene of _Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs_ started to scroll by and Roxas gave the redhead a disgruntled face.

"Why are we watching this?"

"Because one, it's stupid and we can make fun of it easily and two, maybe I just like cartoons. There, Axel fact for the day is done."

"What?" Rikku asked in confusion.

"Don't worry about it," the redhead said and grinned down at her. Reno let out a '_shush_' and pointed down at Paine. The girl had fallen asleep on her friend's stomach already. The shorter redhead resettled his face on her sternum and closed his eyes as well. Roxas took up the remote again and turned the volume down.

***

Roxas couldn't remember when he had drifted off but there was someone nudging him, waking him out of the darkness. Xigbar was standing in front of him with the root menu for the movie illuminating the area behind him. The blonde blinked and looked around. Axel had sunk in his seat and had his face pushed into the armrest asleep, Rikku was sleeping on Roxas' legs and Paine and Reno hadn't moved. Xigbar crooked a finger at the blonde and Roxas lifted Rikku's head and let her settle against the cushions. He yawned as he followed the older man out and towards his study. Inside, Namine was sitting in one of the wingback chairs by his desk he took his seat behind it and rubbed his eyes.

"Yes?" he asked sleepily. Namine looked concerned and stared blankly into the wood surface.

"Xemnas called," she said quietly. Roxas was awake now.

"And? What did you say to him?"

"Not much. I didn't tell him anything new about the baby, but he wants to take me to have an ultrasound." Roxas sighed and ran a hand over his face and through his hair.

"So let him."

"What? Are you nuts? He'll kill me!" she squeaked.

"Take someone with you. Or better yet, I'll go. Xigbar and I. So long as he's in a public place where people can see, he won't try anything. If he does, they have cameras and we'll have evidence against him. You'll be fine. At the very least we'll antagonize him out of wherever he's hiding and he'll have to put himself front and center if he wants anything to do with this child."

"I'm not sure I like you using babies as bargaining chips," she said with a glare.

"Call it what you want but the fact remains that we finally have something that he wants. Once the child is born I have no intention of putting her life in danger so we need to bring this to a close before she has an opportunity to be born. Do you know where he wants the ultrasound to be done?"

"It's not the same hospital as before, that's all I know."

"Even better, we can pretend this is the first we've heard about the gender. Call him back, let's set this up. Xigbar?"

"Hmm?" the man hummed from his position by the door.

"Go get Axel for me will you?"

"Sure," he said and left. Roxas pushed the phone across the desk and lifted the receiver, entered the outside extension and handed it off to his sister. She took a deep breath before dialing the number and listening.

"Cupcake?" she questioned when Xemnas picked up. Roxas' skin started to crawl in disgust but kept it to himself. "Yes. Where and when should we go? Okay." A pause. "No, no it's fine I didn't have much planned for today anyway. Roxas will be going with us, okay? Wh—no. Because_ I_ want him there, that's why," she glared at the phone. "Well sorry but he's already accepted and I don't want—no. Fine, he can come too. Okay, see you in a couple hours. Yeah, love you too." She reached over the desk and set the receiver down with a heavy sigh. "Riku is coming."

"_Wonderful_. Let's hang streamers and make it a nice party while we're at it," the brother grumbled. Axel came into the room, rubbing at the side of his face and looking groggy.

"Oh man, I feel like I got hit by a bus," he said and flopped into the empty chair. "What's up?" he asked and took his hand away, an imprint of the stitching of the leather couch was outlined on his face.

"We're going to a party with Xemnas and Riku apparently," Roxas muttered and crossed his arms.

"We are?" Axel asked with a raised brow.

"We're going for an ultrasound, he means," Namine interjected.

"Okay, what does that have to do with me?"

"Namine, can you leave us?" Roxas asked. She nodded and left quietly, closing the door behind her. Axel immediately became worried. The blonde sighed and laid his head on his desk. "I'm not sure what Xemnas and Riku are planning. I may need you for some moral support for myself if things get troublesome."

"Are you expecting everything to go haywire?"

"I have no idea. I'm just reaching my limit here as far as this whole situation is concerned. I really don't need anymore of this, especially now with school starting. I'm just so tired of it. We were finally having some semblance of normalcy ten minutes ago and I'm upset that I have to get back to business with all of this," he sighed. Axel stood from his chair and nudged Roxas out of his before taking his seat and pulling the blonde into his lap. The smaller boy settled against him and laid his head in the crook of the redhead's neck.

"I'll be here if you need me. I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon," the redhead said. He rocked the chair back and lifted his legs onto the desk, using his entire body as a sort of cradle to hold the blonde to him. Roxas sighed contentedly against him.

"I could fall asleep like this," he said. Axel smiled.

"Go ahead."

"I would but I really need to shower before I head out. I'm still covered in a bunch of things I'd rather not remember. You are too, if I recall."

"Yeah but most of them are Roxas related so I'm okay."

"Change your underwear at the very least," the blonde mutteres and pushed himself up. He looked thoughtful for a moment, "we should probably offer a shower to our guests too, I almost forgot about them."

"They'll all probably shower together; let them use the gym. You and I on the other hand…" he started and took Roxas' hand and kissed his palm before pressing it to his face. The blonde smiled.

***

"Are you sure you heard the right hospital?" Roxas asked, turning to his sister. Namine was on her tip toes looking over the cars in the parking lot, looking for anything familiar. She nodded.

"Yeah, he said the one on sixth. But I can't see over all the cars." Xigbar snorted and took it upon himself to lift the girl from behind and hook her legs around his neck so she was sitting on his shoulders. She let out a squeal and clung to his hair. "I'm not five!" she yelped. "Oh wait! I see him!" she said quickly and pointed. "You know you could've just told us that you saw them, Xiggy." He shrugged and patted Roxas on the shoulder before leading them inside. Namine climbed off of the man and clacked onto the linoleum just in time for Riku and Xemnas to round the corner and see them. Xemnas' face was solemn while Riku looked rather chipper.

"Roxas!" he cried and dashed for the blonde, colliding into him and squeezing the boy to his chest. Xigbar cleared his throat roughly. Riku ignored him. Roxas shoved at him but couldn't break away. "I missed you buddy! Why don't you ever call me anymore?" Riku chirped.

"Riku." Xemnas said with a stern tone. The older boy turned to his father, bringing Roxas staggering with him. "Let him breathe." Riku sighed dramatically and let the blonde go. Roxas gave him a harsh glare but the older boy smiled and ruffled his spikes. The blonde smacked his hand away and ran his fingers through his hair again to put it back into place. Xemnas made no move to touch or greet Namine; instead he kept a firm gaze on her and made her fidget.

The group checked in and was led away after a short wait into an examination room where the ultrasound machine was rolled in and a nurse with a very round face and warm smile came in. Xigbar and Riku waited outside.

"Xemnas," Roxas started, standing at his sister's side. Amber eyes shifted to look at the blonde, "I just figured out recently that it's the _male_ genetic material that determines a child's sex. Did you know that? I wasn't even aware of such a thing, isn't that funny? I'm so naïve sometimes," he twittered and held a hand to his face, giving the man an innocent look with wide cerulean eyes. Xemnas' jaw tensed ground his teeth together but he didn't say anything. Namine cast her brother a worried look.

"Oh it's true," the ultrasound technician said and squirted a glob of jelly onto the girl's stomach. "Genetics are very interesting things. If you have an interest in them young man, I could get you a pamphlet after we're finished," she offered. Roxas smiled.

"That would be fantastic, maybe one for my friend here too?" he agreed and motioned to Xemnas who was glaring at the boy with fire in his eyes. The technician smiled with him.

"Of course," she said with a happy inflection. She pressed the wand into Namine's skin and the girl let out a giggle.

"It's cold," she said and all three of them watched the screen. Roxas wore a smug smile on his face while Xemnas glared at the image with tension.

"Aaand…" the technician started, "everything looks to be in place, your baby is healthy and growing nicely. Congratulations, you're having a girl," she said. Roxas let out a happy squeal and clapped his hands together giving his sister a warm smile.

"Did you hear that Namine? A baby girl! How precious! What do you think mother will say?" he twittered. Xemnas didn't listen to anymore before stomping out of the room. Immediately, Roxas' face drooped and he wore a stoic expression. The technician searched around some more to check everything out before turning off the machine and handing Namine a towel to wipe the gel off of herself. Namine watched Roxas with timid eyes.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Roxxy."

"Oh I do," he said. "Did you see his face?"

"I did, he's pissed. I don't really think it was a wise decision to give him such a show though." The technician raised a brow at them but didn't say anything as she packed away the equipment. Roxas helped his sister off the table and thanked the woman before stepping out. Xemnas was sitting in a chair with a pamphlet between his hands. Riku grinned when he saw the boy. He ran over and threw his arms around both siblings, hugging them tightly.

"Oh you guys! This is great!" he said happily. "Oh wait! I have a gift, hang on, I forgot it in the car, I'll be right back," he let go of them and dashed out into the hallway, garnering an angry yell from a nurse for his speed. Roxas looked at his sister and shrugged. A few moments later Riku came back with a gift bag. He shoved it into Namine's hands. The girl sat in another chair and pulled it open.

"How nice," she said with a weak smile. "Diapers, baby powder and wipes. I guess I should start a collection now, right?"

"Yeah, I'll help you out and get you little by little so you'll be prepared for when the baby comes," Riku added with a grin. Xemnas stood, tossing his pamphlet aside, he cleared his throat at his son who gave Namine a tight hug and looked to his father. "I guess we need to get going guys. It was nice seeing you all, call me Roxas!" he said over his shoulder and waved before they rounded the corner and were out of sight. Xigbar looked to Roxas.

"He was _way_ too happy," the older man said and crossed his arms. "I wonder if he was on something."

"I think he's just putting on a show," the blonde said. Namine packed her gift away and sighed. "Let's go."

***

Reno, Paine, Rikku, and Axel were all sitting on Axel's bed playing cards when Roxas came in. They all smiled at him. He took in the sight and felt it lift his spirits considerably. This was a nice change, he could get used to this. He pulled off his shoes before making is way to the bed and pulling himself in.

"How goes it?" Axel asked. The blonde settled next to him.

"Everything's fine," he said. Axel leaned over and gave him a kiss on his temple.

"Good."

"How's it feel to be an almost uncle?" Reno asked.

"Horrible," Roxas grumbled. "It's not the most ideal circumstance to be having a child, let's just say."

"I see. I'm sorry to hear that."

"I love babies!" Rikku said. "Axel, got any threes?"

"Are you guys playing Go Fish?" Roxas asked with a raised brow.

"The girls aren't exactly versed on the whole cards thing," Reno added. "So yeah, Go Fish it is." Rikku huffed and drew a card when Axel shook his head. Roxas yawned. Axel nudged him.

"Sleepy?" he asked. The blonde nodded.

"We were just waiting for you to get home so we could say goodbye anyway. We're all pretty tired," Reno said. The girls nodded in agreement. "We'll finish this game and Ax was going to drive us home."

"Take Xigbar with you," Roxas said and Axel nodded.

***

Namine set her gift bag on one of the boxes that contained the disassembled units of baby furniture and sighed. She looked around the room and the mild construction going on. The walls were already pink and there was a hole in the wall where the door was going to go through her bathroom and into her bedroom. It was all slowly dwindling down for her and she was only halfway through the pregnancy. She pulled out the box of wipes and looked it over. The packaging squeaked in her hands and she swallowed thickly, staring at the generic picture of an infant on the container. Babies were cute, but something to be feared if you weren't ready.

She set it aside and took up the package of infantile diapers. The mother on the cover looked so peaceful and serene with her child cradled in her arms that it became something surreal and unearthly the longer she looked at it. The woman looked much older than Namine was; someone who had more experience and know how, not someone who surreptitiously opened her legs and gained a child in the process of rebelling against her family. She wondered if Roxas would really accept the child into his household and weather or not he would let them stay. Her eyes watered at the thought of being tossed to the wayside after seeing Xemnas' reaction earlier. He didn't want her anymore, that much was clear. She set the wipes aside and took up the baby powder.

She used to always make fun of the term 'baby powder.' Is it really made of powdered babies? That'd be weird. The humor was still there but it weighed on her heart considerably. She opened the top and gave the container a light squeeze, puffing the substance into the air. The smell of children wafted into her nose. She sighed and gave it another squeeze, feeling the bottle give into the pressure a little too easily. She gave it a cockeyed look and closed it again before shaking it next to her ear. There was something inside of it that wasn't powder. She took the bag and the container into the bathroom. She curiously screwed the top off the plastic and upended the substance into the bag, eliciting a puff of dust to rise.

She looked inside the bottle when it was empty of the sweet smelling substance and could see a small bag. She shifted it around until she could grab the plastic between her fingers and pull it out. She gasped and threw the bottle away over her shoulder, cradling the plastic bag in her hands like it was a divine gift. She wrestled the bag open and stuck her finger in the white powder to be found therein. She tasted it and her nerves sprang to life. She laughed excitedly to herself before setting it aside and searching around her bathroom for a something flat. Riku really did love her after all.

Her mind started to race when she found her hand mirror amongst her hair contraptions. She giggled happily as she skipped into her bedroom to find a pad of Post-It-Notes and peeled one off of the top. She rolled it into a thin tube with a light humming as she made her way into the bathroom again. She held the plastic baggie gingerly and tapped a bit onto the mirror before rerolling it closed and finding a hiding place. She settled for the one she always used. She skipped back into her bedroom and unscrewed the finial off the top of one of the posts in her bed and squished the bag into the space before replacing the ornate piece of wood back where it was. Perfect.

She twittered happily and could hardly contain her excitement as she dug around in her side table and produced a set of cards. She took one of them, suitably the Joker, and headed towards the bathroom again. She pushed around the powder on her mirror gently into a neat line with the edge of the card. It was such a beautiful sight for her; she almost wanted to take a picture. She decided against it. Instead, she plugged a nostril and stuck the paper tube into the other, leaning forward. She inhaled deeply and snorted the entire line into her nasal cavity. She let out a sigh and let her eyes flutter closed as the chemical raced into her body.

Riku really _did_ love her after all.

***

Axel plodded his way down the hall with his backpack hefted over his shoulder. Why in the world he opted for a class that early in the morning he wasn't sure, but at least Roxas would be there with him. The first day of class was always the most promising, or so he was told. Most times the professor would just hand off the syllabus and say '_see ya Wednesday!_' right? He hoped. They took their seats together towards the front of the class and Axel immediately laid his forehead against the Formica tabletop. Roxas sat peacefully and folded his hands in his lap, waiting.

"Oh my god! Hi guys!" came a familiar gleeful squeal. Rikku threw herself into the seat next to Axel and pushed him relentlessly, garnering an unhappy growl from the redhead.

"You are way too happy to be here, girl," he said with his words muffled by the surface. Roxas waved and gave her a smile.

"Hi Roxas!" she said and went to give him a firm hug. He hugged her back readily and she settled into her seat next to the grumpy taller one. "Aaaxeeeelll…" she drawled into his hair. "I'm going to put a spider on you if you don't get up."

"Where would you get a spider from?" he asked.

"Hang on, let me go find one," she said and got up from her seat. Roxas watched the girl skip to the back of the Biology room and open the top to one of the glass terrariums, reaching inside. The smaller boy let out an amused snort as she skipped back and opened her hands, revealing a small hairy tarantula inches from the redhead's face. "Axeeeel…" she said again and he turned his head.

"Gah!" he yelped and jolted upright, nearly falling out of his seat. He quickly gathered his things and moved to the other available seat on the opposite side of Roxas. Rikku laughed and went to put the beast away.

"Don't like spiders?" Roxas asked him with a smile.

"Hate 'em," Axel huffed and hugged his backpack to his chest, settling his chin on it. He glowered at the podium set up at the front of the room. Rikku came back and moved next to Roxas.

"I know a lot of stuff about Axel if you ever need any questions answered," the girl offered and Roxas grinned.

"I'll have to remember that," he said slyly.

"No you won't," Axel grumped. "She knows _too_ much."

"I have _pictures_ too," she said.

"Do you now?" Roxas asked and gave her a smile. "Where do you live again?"

"Oh good, we can bring your baby pictures," the redhead spat. Rikku giggled and Roxas gave him a glare.

***

Sora was bored with his textbook. He was sprawled out across his bed studying for his GED test. It would be a couple hours yet before Axel and Roxas came home from school but he was already getting antsy. He sighed and laid his face in his folded arms. He wished he would've put in the extra effort to make it in time to go with them, but he hadn't and now he was depressed. They would be gone together most days and in the evening, they were still shunning him. He owed them that much though, they deserved some alone time but he wasn't getting enough sleep and it was growing difficult to stay away. He closed his book and headed for the door. Namine was home, and even if she didn't like him very much, she was a decent source of entertainment. Cloud and Tifa were still visiting, but they were doing work in Roxas' study. The staff were busy and he wasn't about to whore his attention out to Roxas' parents.

"Nami?" he asked curiously into the wood of Namine's door as he knocked. She giggled loudly and opened it.

"Hi Sora, what's up?"

"Oh nothing just bored. What're you up to?" he asked. She seemed uncharacteristically happy to see him. Not that he minded, but it was still off putting.

"Can you keep a secret?" she asked with a finger to her lips like she was hushing him. She pulled the door open the rest of the way and he went inside. She closed it again and locked it.

"I suppose, why? Is it a big deal?"

"Oh it's a _very_ big deal. Riku loves me!" she squealed.

"He does?" the brunette lifted a brow in question. "How do you figure?"

"Because he gave me a gift, that's how," she twittered and went to stand on her bed. Her shirt lifted to show her growing abdomen as she reached for the finial on her bed and pulled it off. She pulled out a small plastic bag from the space underneath.

"What's that?" he asked curiously.

"Magic," she giggled. "Wanna do some with me?"

"Wait, Nami…" he said and drooped at her apparent disregard for the rules Roxas had set for them. "Think about what you're doing."

"I know what I'm doing. I can teach you if you've never had any."

"It's not that, I don't think you should be doing that stuff. Not here, not while you're pregnant."

"You going to tell on me? Whine to Roxxy about it?" she said smugly. "If you want something else, I can get Riku to give me some."

"I'm not going to tell, just don't be stupid," he said and furrowed his brows. "I'm asking you to stop for the sake of your baby."

"She'll be fine, just like her mommy," Namine said defiantly and rubbed her belly.

"No, neither of you will. What happens when you run out?"

"Riku said he'll keep bringing me gifts a little at a time until I have enough stuff for when the baby is born, I'm sure he'll hide some somewhere nice."

"What if he doesn't?"

"He will! He loves me!" she screamed. Sora startled at the sudden mood swing. He backed away from her as she came rushing forward, reaching for him. He collided with the door as her nails dug into his throat. She screamed in his face "Riku loves me more than he ever loved you! I know he does!" she said and squeezed Sora's trachea, he coughed and grabbed onto her wrists. He was afraid to kick her, which would be his only real way of getting her off of him. He pulled at her and she shook him. He wrenched his body around to get away and loosen her grip. Her pupils were dilated and she was sweating as she bore down on him. She was becoming increasingly upset with his struggling and backed away, releasing him for a moment. He slumped against the door, coughing and holding his throat, gasping for air. She sneered at him and lifted a leg before shoving her shoe into his groin. He let out a yell and grabbed himself, sliding to the floor, panting.

Searing pain shot up into Sora's chest. He could hardly breathe past the feeling and he smashed his face into the carpeting and let out a strangled scream. From what he could feel through his pants, everything seemed to still be in place but something wasn't right. He had been kicked in genitals before and it hurt, but not like this.

"Fuck… you…" he gasped out. She laughed.

***

The only class Axel had that he didn't know anybody in was his Composition class. He sat in his tiny metal desk with his legs stretched out in front as far as they would reach and waited patiently for the professor to come in. A small slip of paper was slid onto his desk from the girl in the next desk over. She was a short mousy looking girl, with wide rimmed glasses and freckles. She was cute, in a geeky sort of way. She smiled shyly and with pink cheeks. He opened the note. According to her dainty lettering her name was Molly and she gave him her phone number. He cast a glance sideways at her and gave her a polite smile before pocketing the scrap. She giggled to herself and turned around to gossip with her friends quietly.

_This is just like high school_, he thought to himself. _Why do people pay tuition for this shit?_

"Attention please," a male voice wafted through the doorway as a man with shocking blue hair waltzed through the door, heading for the lecture podium. The professor looked the class over with golden eyes. He waited for them to quiet down and get settled. He cleared his throat before speaking, "my name is Saïx, and this is Comp1008. Before any of you ask, yes I dye my hair, and no I don't wear colored contacts. The scar on my face is from my childhood, and no I will not tell you about it. I've been teaching for several years already but this is my first community college setting. Any other questions?" The class was silent. "Fine. Let's begin."

***

Namine crouched down to look in Sora's face. She grabbed him by his hair and pulled him up to look at her. He glowered at her and the views he had of women were reinforced simply by looking at her casual expression. He was in pain, a lot of pain, all throughout his body, even in his fingertips. He wondered if she ruptured anything important when she shoved her pointy shoe into his sack.

"So, are you going to snort with me or not?" she asked.

"Are you out of your mind? Why the fuck would I do that!?" he yelled at her and smacked her hand away, pushing himself up with shaky arms. He stood and shoved his hand down his pants and winced as he checked himself. "You fucking bashed my balls, why the hell would you think I'd ever want to do anything with you? Oh fuck," he swore as his fingers came back with blood.

"Just get over here," she ordered and flounced away towards her bathroom. Sora gave her one more angry look before leaving and staggering down the hall, wincing as pain shot through his groin.

"Guess that'll teach me for trying to be sociable," he grunted to himself.

"Sora?" Demyx asked as he was heading down the hall with the vacuum cleaner, "what's wrong?"

"Namine," he started and let out a pained yelp before his legs gave out from under him and he fell to his knees. He looked down at his pants and could see red leaking through. "Oh god Demmy she really hurt me." Demyx dropped the vacuum and rushed to him.

"Wait, hang on let me see," he said and pulled the brunette into his arms. Sora put his bloodied hand to his chest to stop him from moving him anymore.

"Just call me an ambulance," he croaked. The world started to swim and get a little fuzzy the longer Sora let himself be controlled by the pain. He wondered if Namine was secretly hiding knives in her shoes or if everything he was feeling was really coming from the force of her stomp. Demyx hurriedly searched for his Blackberry in his pocket. The brunette laid his face against the cold marble of the floor and tried to think of bunnies and unicorns. Demyx stood and left him, chatting away into the receiver and clattered down the stairs. Shortly after he couldn't hear the man anymore there were running footsteps getting closer and Zexion was on the floor in front of him followed by Xigbar.

"I'll go get her," Xigbar said and stomped away towards Namine's room.

"Are you lucid?" Zexion said and moved a piece of hair out of Sora's eyes. He nodded.

"It just hurts, a whole lot," he whined. A high pitched wailing could be heard from down the hall as Xigbar forcibly pulled Namine out of her bedroom. With total disregard for her safety and the safety of her child, she flailed and kicked her legs at him, screaming as loud as she could against his hands. More footsteps came rushing up the stairs and Cloud was there grabbing onto his sister's ankles. Tifa crouched down next to Zexion and ran a hand over Sora' forehead.

"What is she on?" Xigbar called as he tried to control the girl. The brunette shook his head against the floor.

"Riku gave her coke or something, I don't know." He watched the men struggle against her limbs as Namine's frantic screaming continued. She lost a shoe along the way and it clacked down the hallway. Zexion picked it up.

"Is this what she did to you?" he asked. Sora nodded. The stiletto she had been wearing had a smear of pink on the underside. Zexion sighed and tucked the weapon in his apron.

"Fuck this," Cloud said and dropped his sister's legs and moved behind her, hoisting her from under her arms with his forearms from behind and lacing his fingers behind her head. She was still kicking and screaming but couldn't do much else. Cloud inched his way to the wall and held her against it. Xigbar sighed and headed for the staircase, leaning over the railing.

"Dem! How long?"

"Five minutes!" he called back.

***

"Where's Xigbar?" Roxas asked as he and Axel neared the car. Marluxia was standing by the Lincoln with a downtrodden face.

"He's with Sora. At the hospital," the man said.

"What? What happened?" the blonde sputtered.

"Get in the car; I'll take you to them." Roxas and Axel quickly jumped into the back. Marluxia waited for their seatbelts to click before heading out of the school parking lot.

"Well?" the blonde pursued.

"Riku got to your sister again. We don't know how just yet but she had a considerable amount of cocaine in her possession and was high when she attacked Sora."

"What did she do to him? She didn't stab him did she?" Roxas continued, his voice getting more frantic as he thought of all the possible things Namine would do to Sora. With the brunette's sympathy for her and her child, it was likely that he wouldn't put up much of a fight. His heart sped up and Axel laid a hand on his.

"No, no, he wasn't hurt like that. She did give him a good stomping though."

"She _stomped_ on him? Like his face? Oh god…" Roxas' face went blank and he stared into the back of the front seat.

"No, she stomped on his crotch, Roxas. He was bleeding pretty badly considering men aren't supposed to be able to do that," Marluxia said. Axel winced at the mere thought. Roxas let out a groan and held his face in his hands.

"Oh, this is my fault for letting her stay," he said. Axel smacked firmly him in the shoulder, startling him.

"Don't even try to blame this on yourself, Roxas. She had a choice on weather or not to get tweaked. You had nothing to do with it," he said with a glare. The blonde looked at him with wide sad eyes and took a breath before nodding.

"He doesn't have anything like… hanging out does he? She didn't split his scrotum or anything?" the blonde questioned. Marluxia shuddered at the imagery.

"No, but she did rupture his urethra," he said. Axel stuck out his tongue in disgust.

"Where is she now?" Roxas asked.

"The police station."

"Good, keep her there."


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Sora was hooked up to a catheter, an IV, and a string of pain killers. He was awake and sitting peacefully in his bed when Roxas and Axel burst through the door. The blonde went to him and wrapped his arms around his friend's neck, pulling him to the side. The brunette readily hugged him back.

"Hello to you too, Roxxy," he chirped happily and patted his friend's back. Axel calmly closed the door and took a seat. Ever since Marluxia had mentioned that Riku had gotten to Namine again, an uneasy feeling sat in the pit of his stomach making him upset.

"Why didn't you have someone call me?" Roxas demanded. He let go of Sora's neck and held his shoulders with wide and worried eyes.

"Because you were at school. I wasn't dying, so there was no need."

"But you wer—mph," the blonde started but the brunette covered his mouth.

"Don't worry about it. Where's Nami?"

"The police station. Did you want to press charges?"

"What and have her convicted so she can have her baby in prison? What the hell am I going to get out of her? Her panties? She doesn't have anything, Roxxy."

"I know, but it's the whole principle. I'm considering taking her to court for bringing the shit in my home when she signed a contract stating that she wasn't going to," he huffed. "In fact, I'm going to call my lawyer. I'm done with this bull," he said and pulled out his Blackberry. Sora snatched it from his hand, gaining an angry look.

"Don't do it here. You can do what you want later but right now is Sora time," he said calmly and set the phone aside. "I have a tube shoved up my dick and I want cuddles damn it," he whined. The door opened again and Marluxia came in with two backpacks, setting them on the floor next to Axel's chair. The redhead glared at the linoleum in thought.

"Well what can I do for you?" Roxas asked. Sora inched himself over and patted the bed. The blonde looked to the redhead who was busy blaming the floor for everyone's problems. He sighed and pulled himself into the bed next to the brunette, leaning against the meager amount of pillows. Sora settled himself back under Roxas' arm and sighed.

"So you know what happened then? I don't need to explain anything?"

"Do you know _why_ she attacked you? I mean other than the fact that she was out of mind?"

"She yelled at me, saying Riku loved her more and tried to strangle me, but then decided to stomp on me instead. I have no idea otherwise."

"Oh. You could have punched her or something."

"I didn't want to hurt her. I only wanted to say 'hi' and visit with her."

"I don't get it," Axel blurted. The blonde looked at him over his shoulder but Sora wasn't in a position where he could see. "Why would Riku give Namine drugs again? Is he trying to kill the baby? Or Namine? Or is he hoping she'll come running back to them? It doesn't make any sense."

"I'm not sure; we don't even know how she got them to begin with," Roxas added and combed his fingers through chestnut spikes. Sora closed his eyes and reveled in the attention, leaning his head against the blonde's chest.

"How long did you want to stay here?" Axel asked. "We have our homework but you may be needed back home."

"As long as we can stay, we'll stay. If that's alright with you."

"That's fine," Axel reached over and hefted up his backpack, pulling it open and digging around. Shortly after he settled back with a piece of homework Xigbar joined them.

"Roxas," he said. The blonde turned his attention to the man. "We're having the police search Namine's room. I assume that's okay?"

"Yes, that's fine. Call my lawyer would you? She isn't going to get away with this," he said calmly, laying his face against Sora's hair.

***

"Roxas sweetie why won't you reconsider?" Larxene asked. She and her son were in the study together after bringing Sora home several days later. Rikku, Paine, and Reno were visiting again but were in another part of the house with Axel. "You know she likes you. She's cute, and spunky, and just such a sweetheart. Plus, you could make beautiful grandchildren, wouldn't that be nice? You could be normal." Roxas glared at his mother.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that and ask what you needed again. So, what do you need?"

"Roxas…"

"Stop. Just stop. If you refuse to, I'm going to ask you to leave. Just tell me what you want. You heard from Namine didn't you?" Larxene sighed unhappily and flopped into a chair.

"She wants to come home."

"That's not going to happen."

"She's your sister, Roxas. I'm not exactly overjoyed with her myself, but you can't ignore family. Do you really expect her to give birth while she's locked up?"

"Why not? Plenty of other gutter skanks and drug addicts do it, she'll be fine. So long as she's in there, she's safe. She can have her child and we'll care for it, and when she pays her debt she can have visitation."

"You're not serious."

"As a heart attack. Do you really think the state will see her as a fit mother? She wouldn't be able to keep the child even if she stapled it to her arm, and do you really want Xemnas to raise it, or more likely, kill it? We may as well volunteer ourselves now before Xemnas has a chance to step in." Roxas stood from his seat and started to pace. "If you're going to be lenient on her that's fine, but do it outside of my home. She signed a written contract stating exactly what I expected from her and she still went behind my back and pulled this bullshit. I'm done giving her chances. She's finished with me. I wipe my hands of her. I can hire a nanny to care for the child if you're not willing to help, though I'm sure Demyx would be excited for the opportunity again."

"Roxas…"

"We're done here unless there's something else you need."

"I really wish you would reconsider," Larxene said quietly. She sat in her chair with furrowed brows for a moment before she decided to get angry. She glared at her pacing son, watched him with electric eyes. He wasn't about to tear her family apart, not while she's alive. She slammed her hands on his desk, startling him out of his thought process. "I can't stand for this! I will not have my own child berate me like I'm some sort of dependant invalid! You are my son! Not my keeper! I demand you drop the charges against your sister and bring her home this instant!" she screamed, pointing a finger at him. Roxas crossed his arms and crooked a brow at her.

"And if I don't?"

"I'll find something. I swear to you I will do everything in my power to ruin what little stability you have."

"What stability is that, mother? I have a deadbeat sister, a home that's in constant turmoil, a brother I can barely talk to, I've just started school so that's not even stable yet, and a _mother_ who apparently doesn't give a damn about her own child's _happiness_."

"Axel," she stated and crossed her arms under her bosom smugly.

"What about him?"

"I'll figure something out. Bring her home."

"No."

"Fine. Have it your way. But if I were you, I'd keep him on a tight leash for a while. Maybe start dating that nice Rikku girl for a change. It's your choice."

"You do what you feel you have to do, mother. I'm really not your enemy, but if you want to turn against me, don't expect any sympathy. My reserves have run dry in that department. I'll be keeping a close watch on you and if you so much as breathe on Axel, I'll have you taken away as well."

"We'll see about that," she sneered and stomped away. When the door slammed behind her Roxas plopped into his chair with a heavy sigh and ran his hands though his hair. He eyed the cup of pens on the corner of his desk and decided it didn't need to live anymore, and he smacked it away sending it and its contents flying. He mashed his palms into his eyes and took a deep breath.

"_Fuck_!"

***

Reno, Paine, Rikku, and Axel were in the game room when Roxas found them again. They were laughing about something when the blonde approached the pool table, each of them holding a cue. Just moments ago, the world seemed so chaotic and rage inducing, yet a few yards away, everything was calm and lighthearted. His mother and sister were out to kill him with their drama and he couldn't keep Xemnas and Riku out of his mind even if he tried but seeing Axel and his hodgepodge of new friends let some of the weight off of his shoulders. It was almost the weekend again, too. Classes were finished for the week and he could take the next three days to relax a little if the other influences in his life would just leave him alone. Without giving him any warning, he walked straight into Axel's back and wrapped his arms around the redhead's torso.

"Whoa!" he said in surprise. Axel looked down at the hands and saw the ring he had given to the blonde. "Hi, what can I do for you?" he asked, looking around his shoulder at the boy.

"Just wanted a hug, I'm having mom problems again."

"M'kay," Axel said simply and set his cue on the table before turning in the blonde's arms and giving his a firm hug. Before they could pull apart they both let out a yelp as Reno crashed into them with another set of arms to squeeze the air from them.

"You guys are so cute!" he twittered and swayed, pulling the pair around. Paine lined up a shot and clacked a pair of balls together, bringing his attention elsewhere, causing him to scamper away to get back to the game. Roxas and Axel let go of each other and exchanged a disgruntled look and a shrug.

"I never really got along with my mom either, Roxas," the dark eyed girl said. "I can feel your pain somewhat."

"Thanks, at least I'm not the only one," the blonde said.

"Can I ask what the problem is?" Rikku asked. "It's really none of my business but maybe we can help."

"Well you all know my sister assaulted Sora, but my mother insists I let her come home anyway. That and she really doesn't like that Axel and I are together." Axel let out a disgusted scoff and rolled his eyes, taking his turn.

"Yuck. I'm sure her bigger concern is the baby?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Well I can understand that, it's a maternal thing, I'm sure. What would the problems be if your sister was to come home?" Rikku lined up her shot and went for it, missing her target by about fifteen miles. She furrowed her brows together at the poor aim and Paine giggled, patting her back.

"She would have the opportunity to continue her antics, and possibly hurt someone else."

"What if she was under house arrest or something?"

"That wouldn't keep the people in the house safe from her," Axel interjected. "She needs to stay where she is; where she can't hurt anyone and no one can hurt her."

"Oh…I don't see much of an alternative then. Even still, being pregnant and locked up probably isn't very fun," she added.

"That's her own fault," the redhead said, giving Roxas a sideways glare to warn him against any guilt. The blonde looked to the carpet.

"Yeah," the blonde girl said. She sat patiently and waited for her turn again, after taking another terrible turn she sighed. "So are you guys going to Seph's tomorrow or what?"

"I have too much work to get done. My brother and Tifa leave tomorrow and we need to wrap a few things up before they do and I have homework," Roxas said flatly. "Plus, we'd make Sora angry if we went off gallivanting without him."

"Yeah I'm not sure I want to incur that sort of wrath upon myself, plus I have homework too," Axel said and glared at the table.

"How long is he supposed to have that catheter in?" Reno asked.

"A couple weeks or something, I try not to think about it," Roxas said with a light shudder. "He is sucking up all the attention like a sponge though; Zexion hasn't left his side for much, except at night. Even then, I think he and Demyx will probably end up sleeping here until he's well."

"Brutal," the shorter redhead added. Roxas watched the game progress a few more turns before waiting for Axel to bend over to take his next shot. The blonde stuck his hands under the taller boy's shirt garnering a startle and a slip of the cue stick. Reno started to laugh and the girls giggled.

"What are you doing?" the redhead asked, looking under his arm at the blonde.

"Checking your back," he said simply, smoothing his hands over the taller boy's skin. His scabbing was mostly gone and he could feel the ridges of ink under his fingertips.

"Right this instant? You totally ruined my shot."

"I was getting impatient, forgive me," the blonde said, sounding dejected.

"Are you okay?" Axel asked and stood straight, facing him. Roxas stared into the table blankly and shrugged. The redhead waved a hand in front of his face and the blonde blinked, looking up to him. He turned to their friends, "I think we need a minute guys, be right back," he said and started to push the smaller boy towards the door. They headed up the stairs into Roxas' bedroom and sat on the bed together. Axel folded his legs and peered into the blonde's eyes. "What's up?"

"My mother is out to get you," Roxas said sadly.

"Out to get… me? Why?"

"Because she wants me to bring Namine home and wants me to date Rikku," he sighed. Axel raised a brow.

"Rikku, huh? Well why not?" he said with a grin. Roxas squinted at him like he was insane. "Rikku is a pretty good actress."

"You mean… pretend to date her?" the blonde said. Axel shrugged.

"Sure, if it'll get your mom off your back for a while, why not? I'm not sure what your mom can do to me but if it worries you that much go ahead and try it. Rikku knows how to not get attached. It's nothing personal, remember?" The smaller boy shook his head.

"I don't want to. That isn't right."

"It's not like I'm going to up and leave, Roxas. If your mom wants you to date a girl, then humor her for a minute. Think of it as an experiment. I'll still be around and we can still be together, but just a little more secretive. Your mom will have less to bitch about, she'll leave us alone, and maybe she'll get over it."

"Yeah but she was talking about children again, I don't want to get that involved."

"Who's saying you have to be? Just do it long enough for Namine's bullshit to fade and we can go back to normal once the waters calm some," Axel gave the blonde a reassuring grin. Roxas looked him over.

"What if Rikku won't do it? What if I end up hurting her somehow?"

"If we explain to her the circumstances, I'm sure she'll be okay. I don't think your mother will hover around you and expect to see you two having sex at any point, so there really isn't much to it other than let her hang on you some and see you two together, maybe take her to a movie or something, yeah?"

"Do you really think that'll work?" Roxas gave him a questioning eye; he wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea. Axel shrugged.

"What do we have to lose? If your mom figures it out then oh well, we go back to normal. Maybe she'll get the hint at that point." Roxas' expression still troubled the redhead. His uncertainty was beyond obvious. He pulled the blonde across the bed and wrapped his arms around him. "I'm not going to let you be this upset all the time. Your mom can't hurt me, and if it gets her to back off, then I'm willing to help you out. At some point you need to let yourself be helped by others, Roxas. Even if the scheme is as backwards and stupid as mine is," he grinned. "Your mom is gullible, at the very least, I'm sure this will help some even if it's temporary." The smaller boy sighed and leaned against the redhead.

"Let's go ask Rikku."

***

"So okay, you want me to pretend to be your girlfriend so your mom will leave you alone about being with Axel?" Rikku asked with a raised brow. "You do realize that you're basically asking my permission to be gay by being straight?"

"I think it's pretty clever, actually," Reno added. Paine shrugged. Axel grinned.

"I think so too," he said. Roxas stared into his hands.

"It's worth a try anyway," he sighed. Rikku leaned forward and peered into his face.

"I'm not that terrible, okay? I promise I won't be overbearing but we do need to put on a good show, yeah?" she grinned and giggled. Roxas looked to Axel and the redhead smiled.

"Be gentle with him, he bruises easily," he said and the smaller boy punched him in the arm. Axel laughed. "I'm kidding. But seriously, do whatever you guys feel you need to be convincing. I'll try not to hover." Rikku clapped.

"This is going to be fun," she said. "I can come over after school and stuff and we can hold hands and be all cute together, oh man," she held her face between her hands and blushed, "if we were still in high school I'd ask you to prom." Roxas rubbed his eyebrows between his thumb and index finger.

"If my mother pulls you aside, keep the conversation away from marriage and grandchildren please," he said. She nodded.

"Yeah that's a little too serious for me. But how are we going to do this? She's not going to believe you just up and left Axel for me and what about all the other people you live with?"

"Don't worry about them, we don't need to tell them anything but we don't need to hide it either, if they ask you can tell them, just make sure my mother doesn't hear. But it's true, she won't believe it if all of a sudden we started dating." Both blondes sat with thinking faces for a long minute.

"You guys can wait a few days and let her catch you making out or something and pretend you're cheating on me. She'll probably be so excited about it she'll want to come and burst my bubble, and I'll get all upset and start a fight with you," Axel said. Roxas furrowed his brows.

"I don't want to fight with you," he said. Axel shrugged.

"It wouldn't be real; you know that."

"But still," Roxas huffed. Rikku giggled and hugged him abruptly.

"I'll be here for you!" she squeaked. "It's totally okay, Roxas. We'll be careful. I was conditioned by the best of the best to not take it personal! I'm a professional." The boy lifted a brow.

"You were trained for this?"

"Well I've been around Sephiroth so long that I've picked up a lot from him. He's the best at what he does and not letting anyone get attached to him, you know? He's a loner by nature and even though I'm not, I still know how to separate the two. I'm cool like that," she grinned. Roxas heaved a breath and nodded.

"Okay. We can try it. How about Monday after school we start moving forward? But if anything gets hairy and starts to go wrong somehow we have to stop immediately."

"You're making it sound like I'll be killed," she giggled. "I'll be on my best behavior."

"There is a lot you don't know about my family and I'd like to keep it that way for the sake of your sanity," he grumbled. She looked confusedly at Axel and he nodded in agreement. "If my sister magically appears here as well, just avoid her. I don't foresee that happening, but if it does just be prepared."

"Yeah I haven't even met her officially and I don't want to be anywhere near her," Rikku added.

***

Roxas was sitting behind his desk again, typing away in an e-mail to Cloud's father, thanking him for accepting his proposal and explaining the last minute details to him. MakoCorps. was the current leader in security system and surveillance technology and the blonde needed his help to corner Xemnas. The idea was to have the company buy out several of Xemnas' buildings, rewire everything into a surveillance system that MakoCorps. would run, and have a continuous feed of every move the man would make. Then the company would claim there is something wrong with their written contract, a loophole in the documentation, then hand the businesses back over with everything in place. Cloud and his father had the resources to make the deal enticing to Xemnas, something that would be overly suspicious if Roxas were to do the same, and with a little luck, maybe they could pull it off.

It was going to take a lot of time and a lot of money to do but it was worth it to Roxas in order to keep his sanity in tact and put an awful person (not to mention murderer and serial rapist) behind bars. No one else needed to know about this little excursion except those personally involved, especially the police or any sort of law official. What they were doing was highly illegal but Roxas was confident no one would try to persecute him if everything did go south. Xemnas wouldn't be that stupid to air his dirty laundry and run the risk of being caught for the sake of pressing charges for something that he wouldn't even lose money on. All Roxas needed and prayed for was a little luck and some moral support from his favorite redhead.

***

"One last hurrah?" Axel asked with a wolfish grin. Roxas gave him a sideways glare.

"What do you mean, 'last?' I thought we were going to sneak around," he said with a suspicious tone.

"I was being dramatic, don't get your panties in a knot," the redhead said and leaned in close. "It's all so suspenseful, don't you think? By this time tomorrow, you'll be _straight_. Creepy right?" He leaned in close and gave the blonde's ear a nuzzle. Roxas looked to him and Axel grabbed a quick kiss, garnering a smile.

"Who knows? If Rikku is _too_ wonderful I may just stay with her," he taunted. The redhead's face went serious and he narrowed his eyes at the smaller boy.

"Now wait a minute," he started. The blonde grinned and pushed him away.

"Oh no! Guy cooties! Don't get them on my virginal body," the blonde squealed causing Axel to snort and start to laugh.

"Virginal? Seriously? Did you just go there?" he growled with a wide smile. Roxas let out another helpless feminine noise and tried to scurry away across the bed. Axel jumped after him, catching the boy by the arm and pulling him back. He pinned the blonde under himself and grinned down at him. Roxas strained to keep the smile off his lips as he tried to give the redhead wide frightened eyes. He stuck out his bottom lip in an exaggerated pout and whimpered at him.

"Be gentle with me, I bruise easily," he said but couldn't keep back his smile any longer and his lips parted in a toothy grin. Axel smiled and leaned down to give the blonde a soft kiss.

"Maybe just this once."

***

Monday. Roxas couldn't understand the physics behind an instant gender preference change but he had to live with it. He was committed to this, but he was still unsure. His sister would be out of the way for a while before her court date, and so long as Xemnas didn't pay her bail, she'd be safe. He just hoped he could pull everything off and get things to calm down enough in order to breathe a little easier. He didn't have to worry about Cloud and Tifa anymore since they had left already. Luxord probably wouldn't ask many questions about it either, so the amount of headaches would be kept to a minimum in that regard. Rikku skipped happily next to the blonde and Axel on their way to the car.

"So what are we going to say to her?" Rikku asked. Roxas shrugged.

"We can improvise. It doesn't have to be overly dramatic."

"Sure thing new boyfriend," she giggled. "We'll take your crazy mom down a few notches just you wait!"

"I just hope your mom doesn't try to put the moves on me again once she thinks I'm single. _That_ was scary," Axel said and grimaced. Roxas crinkled up his nose at the thought.

"Oh one more thing Rikku," he said once he let his face back to normal. The girl raised a brow. "Don't let her rope you in to drinking with her. She likes to corrupt the youth like that." Rikku laughed.

"Can do. Drinking isn't really my thing, if I'm involved with people I like to have my wits about me."

"Smart girl."

"Maybe I _should _seduce your mom now that I think about it. Or let Reno at her," Axel said with a smirk.

"You could do that if you want my father's fist in your gut. Then he'd fling cards at you until you die of blood loss through a bunch of paper cuts. Have fun," Roxas said grimly.

"Wow, that was really dark," the redhead added with distraught eyes.

"It's true."

"Gross," Rikku said. Roxas shrugged.

They all piled in the car together with Xigbar and the ride back to the manor was relatively quiet. When they reached the manor, Larxene and Luxord were out and would be home in time for dinner. The trio meandered into the study and crowded around Roxas' desk to do their homework before anything else. Sora was sitting on the enormous bay window, looking through his textbook. He perked up once he saw everyone and hobbled his way to sit with them. No one had told him the plan and Roxas took a moment to fill him in on the situation.

"That's a horrible trick, Roxxy," the brunette said with furrowed brows. "Even if your mom _is_ crazy, you shouldn't toy with her."

"Well I think it'll be a good distraction for her. Maybe she'll focus more on helping Namine rather than worry about my sexuality."

"I don't like it," Sora huffed and crossed his arms.

"My vagina doesn't have teeth, Sora," Rikku giggled. The brunette stuck out his tongue in disgust.

"Sure it does. You just don't see them very well because you can't look straight at it."

"I've actually looked at myself with a mirror before, I'm pretty sure there's no teeth. But if you're really unsure you can check it for me, let me take off my pants," she said calmly and stood, pulling on her fly.

"Ew no! Stop! I believe you," Sora squeaked. Rikku shrugged and sat back down. Axel had a book up to his face hiding his grin and Roxas was shaking his head.

"Suit yourself," she smiled.

After an hour of sitting calmly together, Demyx called them all for dinner. Luxord and Larxene joined them in the middle of eating. Axel ate quickly and gave Roxas a wink before excusing himself and heading up to the game room. Apparently, the parents had gone shopping for the nursery and ordered a bunch of things they thought Namine would need. Roxas half listened to the list of objects and decorations but focused mainly on finishing his meal so he and Rikku could get out of the dining hall before his parents and cause a scene. The pair of young blondes left together and Sora left shortly after them, moving back to the study.

***

"Do you really think _everything_ should be pink, love? It's a little monotonous don't you think? Maybe some yellow or white would be alright?" Luxord said as he and Larxene left the dining hall and headed for the staircase.

"Baby girls need pink. Or purple, but Namine's room is purple so we have to settle for pink," Larxene huffed and crossed her arms matter-of-factly. Luxord rolled his eyes. "How was your interview by the way?"

"Oh it went fine. I think I'll get the job. Twilight is itching for guys to come and run the tables at the casinos and they'll take anyone, especially someone with experience so I have no doubts."

"Well that's good; it'll get you out of the house so you're not having cabin fever."

"Yeah, I'm going a little bonkers without the distraction," Luxord added with a light laugh. Larxene took his hand as he led her up the stairs. When they reached the landing Luxord let out a surprised grunt and hurried the woman back down a few steps so they could look through the railings at the sudden and surprising activity that was unfolding just down the hall. Larxene gasped and held a hand to her mouth.

Roxas had Rikku pushed up against the wall with his hips, his mouth buried in her throat. She had one arm draped over his shoulder and the other hand shoved up his shirt and feeling his chest. He had one arm against the wall and the other one pulling her pelvis against him by her rump. She panted lustfully and squeaked his name. To quiet her, he pulled their mouths together and she craned her neck to meet his ravenous tongue. Luxord and Larxene gaped at each other. A moment passed of listening to their labored breathing before an enormous grin spread across Larxene's face. Without waiting for Luxord she stood again and rounded the railing, clearing her throat loudly, startling the pair out of their grope fest.

"Mother?" Roxas squeaked and looked at her with wide and startled eyes. He looked to Rikku and back to the smiling woman a few times, "d-don't tell Axel," he sputtered as the color rose to his cheeks. Rikku's face drooped as hers turned a light pink as well and she hid her face behind Roxas' shoulder letting a curtain of hair fall over her arm. Larxene laughed and dashed for the boy, scooping him into her bosom and holding him tight. Rikku was left standing with a confused face. Luxord stood at the top of the stairs, watching with disbelief.

"Oh my beautiful wonderful son, I'm so happy you decided to listen to me for once in your life!" Larxene squealed happily. "Don't you worry my dear; I'll take care of the dirty work and let that lecherous fool down gently for you. You won't have to be seduced by him anymore!" Roxas tried to muffle protests against his mother's chest but he couldn't get a word out. She dropped him and skipped towards the stairs. Luxord watched her go and approached his son. Roxas was straightening his clothing and his hair again and gave him an innocent look.

"That was a pretty good act, my boy," the father said and grinned. "I dunno what you're doing but I'll go with it for now." Roxas grinned and Rikku giggled.

"Was it that obvious?" she asked.

"Well forgive me for being crude but if I was all over a girl like that my pants would be a little tighter if you catch my meaning," he said with a smile. Roxas gaped at him and smacked him in the shoulder, causing a laugh. Rikku grinned.

"That's disgusting, why would you look at me like that?" Roxas huffed with a disturbed face, cheeks turning a darker shade of pink.

"Just making sure of what I was seeing. It's not like I haven't ever changed your diapers or anything, Rox. It's nothing new." The color didn't recede from the boy's face any but the man had a point, he shrugged. "So what now?" Luxord asked.

"We wait."

***

Axel jumped a mile and flung the controller into the air when Larxene suddenly appeared next to him with a grin. "Holy shit, what!?" he yelled at her with wide eyes. She laughed.

"You're finished my faggoty friend," she sneered. He furrowed his brows together and squinted at her.

"With my game? Yeah, because you fucking scared me out of my skin and I died, are you happy now?" he asked with annoyance.

"No. With Roxas."

"What are you talking about? No we're not."

"Sure you are, his father and I just caught him upstairs with Rikku."

"Okay, he's allowed to visit with her. She's his friend too," he said giving her a sideways glare. Larxene let out a shrill laugh and clasped his shoulder.

"Oh you're so naïve. What I meant to say was I just saw my son with his mouth on hers like it was the best thing since they invented air," she growled with a twisted smile. Axel's mouth dropped open some and he looked confused. He shifted in his seat to face her.

"Wait, what?"

"You can't seduce my boy anymore with your disgusting hands. With Rikku around he's finally come to his senses and decided to stop this nonsense with you. They love each other, I can tell. If you could've seen them, even _you_ with your six brain cells would've been able to tell."

"You're lying," he said with an unsure face. She laughed again.

"Oh you wish. Go ask him. I _dare_ you."

"Fine. I will."

***

Roxas' bedroom door flung open and a fuming Axel stalked into the room, slamming the door behind him. Larxene pressed her ear to the door from the hall. Roxas and Rikku were sitting on the bed calmly and the redhead relaxed his face and gave them a smile before he started his tirade. The girl put a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles.

"What the fuck is your mom talking about, Roxas? Were you really all over Rikku?" he said with feigned anger in his voice.

"And if I was?" Roxas responded. "You've been nothing but insatiable, Axel. It's high time I came to my senses and start thinking about my future, and that can't include you. I have too much on my plate and I don't need you constantly trying to get me in the bed with you, it's disgraceful."

"Personally I think fags are disgusting and I think he should've left you weeks ago," Rikku added with a twinge of arrogance. "I'm a much better candidate anyway, I have looks, personality, _and_ I can give him children."

"You're a bitch."

"And you're a fag. Which do you think Roxas will prefer? A cesspool to stick his dick in or someone he can love and cherish? Because believe me, he doesn't have those feelings for you. Isn't that right love bug?"

"That's right," Roxas added.

"I…wh—no," Axel sputtered. "That isn't true, he cares about me," he said. Unbeknownst to Larxene, Roxas' eyes were watering and he was staring blankly into space. Axel crossed the room quietly and laid a hand on the blonde's face, giving him a silent and reassuring kiss. "I-I can't believe this, Roxas. Is this what you really want?" The blonde took a moment to catch his voice. He swallowed thickly.

"It is. You disgust me. I want Rikku," Roxas started wiping at his eyes. Axel gave him a hug before heaving a sigh and preparing himself to look completely shattered. He let his face droop, his eyebrows furrow and let pieces of his hair fall in his face. He plodded his way to the door and opened it, nearly knocking into Larxene who had a satisfied look on her face. He stepped out and closed the door quietly behind him and looked at her. She grinned.

"Get out of here, lecher. Take your putrid fingers elsewhere," she sneered. Axel stared into the marble floor and headed for his room. Larxene followed him and made sure he shut the door securely behind him. Rikku peeked out of Roxas' room and watched the woman walk down the stairs with a confident stride. She went back into the bedroom, closing the door again.

"I feel like I just ripped my heart out," Roxas sighed. The girl sat on the bed with him and gave him a hug.

"You did well though, your mom looks really happy," she offered.

"Thanks, but I still feel like garbage."

"I know. Breakups are hard even if it is a total sham. Your mom is totally predictable though. It's almost too easy to manipulate her."

"Scary isn't it?"

"Yeah. Your dad is way smarter than she is. Hopefully he can keep his mouth shut until everything is settled."

"He will. He's good about that sort of thing," the blonde sighed. Rikku's smile faltered some and she gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"I tell you what, since you look so terrible and sad, I'll go walk around and distract your mom for a minute so you can go suck face with Axel. I'll text you if she looks like she's heading up here."

"Really? You're so nice, Rikku. I almost wish I was straight so I could honestly date you," Roxas said with a watery smile.

"No problem and thanks! I know, I'm just so cute," she grinned with a giggle. The boy set his Blackberry to make an obnoxious noise for when he received text messages. They exchanged numbers and Rikku lead him by the hand out the door. She turned on him and whispered in his ear, "just run into the nursery and pretend to be doing something important if I text, see you in a bit." Roxas nodded and she kissed his cheek before walking down the stairs. The blonde went to Axel's room and knocked. The redhead opened the door and looked surprised to see him. Roxas pushed his way inside and Axel closed the door. Roxas hugged him and the taller boy chuckled.

"Miss me already? It's been like five minutes."

"Shut up, that was awful," Roxas huffed. "I feel terrible."

"So I guessed when I thought you were going to let your eyes float away back there. I didn't expect that one. I'm flattered."

"Let's just hope this bullshit with Namine will be settled soon so we can get back to normal," the blonde sighed against his partner's chest. "If my phone goes off I have to run into the nursery really quick and look busy. Rikku is following my mother."

"Okay. I'll keep an ear open," Axel said and held Roxas' face between his hands. The blonde looked depressed and tired. He tried to give him a reassuring smile but it had little effect and simply got a faint twitch of the lips in return. He leaned forward and the smaller boy stood on his tip toes to meet him halfway and wrap his arms around the redhead's neck. Roxas let out a satisfied sigh when their lips met and Axel held him close.

This was going to be difficult.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

A week passed. Then another week. Axel lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling and feeling the immense size of the room and how cold the covers were. His hermit crabs clinked against the glass wall of their terrarium and he wondered if Robert E. Lee was finished molting yet so he can rejoin the group. He doubted it, it had only been a few days and the little guy kept himself buried still. Axel himself had finished molting his boring old skin away in favor of shiny and colorful new skin. He was thankful the scabs were gone but that meant Roxas probably wouldn't rub lotion on his back anymore. Not that the blonde was anywhere near him to ask.

Two weeks of hardly satisfying sex. Half the time he and Roxas tried anything the blonde would get a text from his not-girlfriend and they would skitter away to pretend being straight together in the next room or two over. Rikku's fake squealing cries of pleasure were funny though, he had to admit. Funnier still was the fact that Larxene was totally oblivious to the ruse but it meant that Axel was left with his hand most nights and he was growing tired of it. Old Righty and he were great pals back in middle school and the early part of high school but he and Axel had grown apart in the last few years, straining their relationship and his resolve to their limits.

He felt like Sora; yearning for the barest touch, a cuddle here, a hug there, maybe a kiss if he was lucky. The brunette had his own little posse going with Demyx and Zexion following him around and so long as the boy didn't have control over his own bladder functions it would stay that way. The new threat of kicking Sora in the pee bag was pretty entertaining enough on most days whenever he got too whiny around the redhead and Axel would miss it when he was able bodied again. He'd have to thank Namine for the weeks of fun though.

Namine had been held at bay for those two weeks as well. Her court date was fast approaching and Roxas had convinced Sora to press charges against her. She was definitely going down, which was bittersweet for them for obvious reasons. The girl wouldn't be around to raise her child, and her mother would have to pick up the brunt of the work but didn't see too off put by the idea of being a mother again. Larxene was still upset with Roxas but all the blonde would have to do is pass by her again holding Rikku's hand and the woman would melt away leaving a shell of her previous bitchy self. It was sad to think she was so stupid. So gullible. Luxord was in on it, keeping tabs on his ex-wife and texting Roxas whenever it looked like she was heading near Axel, much like Rikku would. The man could take a joke, to say the least.

Eventually the rest of the staff would figure it out. Most of them were confused as to why Roxas was hanging around Rikku so much and why Axel stayed in his room most of the day when he wasn't at school. But, like good little employees, they didn't ask, they simply did as they were told and everything was fine. The redhead tried to immerse himself in working around the manor when he ran out of schoolwork or couldn't stand to do anymore. He saw Vexen twice in this time span and still had yet to miss a visit to the clinic. Reno and Paine visited fairly frequently as well. He was busy, but not busy enough. There were still the times, like now, that kept his mind reeling about what he was missing from his blonde counterpart.

He looked at the clock. Eleven thirty. Neither he nor Roxas had school on Fridays and normally, he would be up and trying to get the boy to do something with him. Instead, he was laying by himself in the dark, staring up at the ceiling he couldn't actually see very well. Another clink from his hermit crabs. He needed a different pet, one that didn't remind him of the second hand clicking away when he was lonely. Maybe some sort of rodent. Possibly a Gherkin 2.0. The redhead smiled at himself when he remembered Olette and how nice she was. They really needed to bring her over here for a visit, or go back to Greece.

He looked at the clock. Eleven thirty-two. This was going to be a long night if he didn't entertain himself somehow. He threw the covers away and let his legs drape over the edge of the bed for a moment before heading out into the hallway. The house was cold when the people were sleeping. Xigbar was usually the last to bed and the first to rise but normally everyone was settled for the night by ten. Roxas' parents would be dead to the world at this point and everyone else would've gone home with the exception of Demyx and Zexion who dragged Sora off to bed around that time as well. It was too cold for a smoke and the redhead didn't feel like getting dressed so he could do so. He liked his pajama bottoms and shirtlessness but he felt he should probably invest in a pair of slippers.

He padded silently down the marble hallway and down the marble stairs though the marble entryway and towards the back of the marble house. His intention was to head to the theater and watch some television but he noticed a pale stream of light coming from the study and his heart skipped a beat knowing who would be inside and working away at his desk. Lo and behold once he pushed the door open, he could see the desk lamp illuminating a familiar head of blonde hair that was laid peacefully against a spread of papers. Alabaster lay off to the side asleep as well and Axel smiled at the scene.

He tip toed his way to the blonde and almost giggled stupidly when he rounded the desk to see the boy's face pushed up against his hand and his mouth hanging open lazily in his slumber. His glasses were tipped precariously in his free hand and a pen lay discarded just inches away. He was dressed in his pajamas already and no doubt promised himself that just another hour of work wouldn't hurt. Which it hadn't but would cause his cheek to have a strange imprint in it when he awoke. Alabaster let out a snort in his sleep and his feet started to twitch as he dreamt of chasing after glowing hares and the excitement of the hunt. Axel's smile was still affixed to his face.

The redhead leaned over Roxas and kissed his hair causing an upset in the smaller boy's breathing but not waking him. He reached over and pulled the gold frames from his hand and set them aside before rubbing his back, nudging him gently. The boy heaved a breath before his eyes slid open slowly, blinking a few times, trying to process where he was. He groaned and pushed himself back in his seat, rubbing his eyes.

"Axel?" he grumbled groggily. The redhead's smile persisted. "What time is it?"

"Eleven thirty something."

"Oh, well this is a little different. I don't remember the last time I slept in here," the blonde said and picked the sleep from the corners of his eyes. He yawned. "I'm sorry, you should sleep. Don't worry about me."

"I'm not worried. I just couldn't sleep so I went for a walk and found you by accident. I'm glad I did though, I've missed you." Roxas blinked against his bleariness a bit and smiled.

"I've missed you too," he said quietly. Seeing the blonde again and knowing no one was awake to disturb them made the moment a just a little bit sweeter for Axel. He lowered himself to his knees and pushed himself into Roxas' lap, weaving his arms around the blonde's waist and nuzzling his stomach. He closed his eyes when the comforting feeling of velvety fingers combed through his hair and he sighed. "I like your phoenix. This is the first I've seen it without the scabs. Even if it is upside down."

"Thanks."

"You seem upset. Are you alright?" the blonde asked. Axel shrugged.

"I've just missed you. My bed is cold."

"Well I'm here now, you've found me. No one else is awake right?"

"Not that I know of, anyway."

"Good," the smaller boy tapped the redhead's arm and Axel let him go reluctantly. Roxas wheeled his chair over to the lamp on his desk and clicked it off, plunging them into darkness. If it weren't for the moonlight coming through the oversized bay window, Axel would've protested that he couldn't see. The blonde stood from his chair and made his way to said window and it took a minute to register but the redhead followed. The view into the backyard was illuminated in a cerulean and violet glow, lighting up the snow and the trees in such a way that made it look surreal and unearthly. The overcast sky blotched the ground with odd pieces of shadow that danced along the white as the clouds drifted by overhead. Roxas climbed onto the cushioned ledge and folded his legs under himself, facing to the side. He patted the seat in front of him and Axel sat, imitating his position. The blonde reached forward and put a hand to the redhead's cheek. He ran his thumb under the taller boy's eyes, petting the ink that was to be found there. Jade eyes closed, leaning against his touch.

"I know it was my idea but I wish we could stop now," Axel said in a whisper. He didn't know why he had the feeling he should be talking in hushed tones. He attributed it to the silence around them and the atmosphere. He pressed his hand against the blonde's on his face.

"I know. You were right in assuming that it would help lighten the load my mother puts on me though and for that I thank you for your cleverness. We can stop after Namine's trail the week after next; I need you to have patience," Roxas mimicked his whispering. Axel opened his eyes again and turned his face to kiss the smaller boy's palm.

"I'm trying," he said as the hand settled on his jaw. Roxas' thumb smoothed over the redhead's bottom lip and he parted them the tiniest bit, pulling the tip between them gently. The blonde smiled as his expression softened to one of fondness and longing. Axel gave him a wavering smile in return and pulled his arm gently. The blonde obediently crawled his way into the redhead's lap, wrapping his legs around the taller boy's waist and hugging his neck, tugging his scent around his small frame like a security blanket. Axel held him close and laid his cheek on the blonde's shoulder, feeling how warm he was and wishing he could drag him upstairs so they could warm the blankets together. They sighed in tandem. A mournful sound.

"I believe the saying is 'absence _makes the heart grow fonder' yes?"_ Roxas whispered. "I hope I got that right because that's what I'm working with here and I don't want to feel this much heartache without the proper euphemism." Axel let out an amused huff of air through his nose and smiled wryly.

"You're feeling that too, huh?" he asked. Roxas nodded.

"What do you suppose that means when we both feel it?"

"You said it yourself that it's a fondness," he said. The blonde nodded again and Axel sighed again, hugging him tighter. _I really wish you weren't so emotionally dense sometimes_, he thought to himself. Axel knew what it all meant but wanted the blonde to figure it out for himself instead of the redhead having to blurt it out for him and Roxas just accept it at face value. He pulled back from their embrace and pushed his forehead against the other's. The only thing he could see was a sea of glittering sapphires outlined in copper eyelashes. He was okay with that.

"I really like your eyes, did you know that?" Roxas asked. Axel smiled.

"Thanks, I grew them myself."

"Oh yeah? What kind of fertilizer did you use? I should get some; maybe it'd help be grow a few inches taller."

"I doubt that. But they're all natural, so sorry, no gardening tips for you."

"Oh. Well what _do_ you have for me?"

"How about a pinch on the cheek?"

"I think I'll pass. Mine still hurt from when my grandmother was alive," the blonde said and furrowed his brows at the memories. Axel laughed. He slid his hands down and gave him a pinch on his rump.

"Your grandma was some kind of freaky if she did _that_ to you. Gross," the redhead stuck out the tip of his tongue in teasing disgust. Roxas rolled his eyes and imitated his motion. Axel quirked a brow and stuck his out a little further and the blonde followed him, peeking the barbell out. The taller boy grinned. "It was cute until you showed that thing, now it's just sexy." Roxas shrugged and put it away. Axel pouted. "No fair."

"Get your own and you can look at it all you like."

"But I like _yours_," the redhead whined. He heaved a pathetic sob and rested his forehead on Roxas' shoulder again. The blonde laughed. "You still haven't given us a proper introduction, by the way," he said slyly and poked the smaller boy in the stomach. The blonde's laughing slowly dwindled and he blushed.

"Yeah I know. I've been holding out on you, I'm sorry."

"That's alright. I'm satisfied enough just like this," the taller boy squeezed him close again. Roxas pressed his ear against Axel's neck and could hear his pulse thrum and jerk against his skin. He closed his eyes and would have easily fallen sleep again had the redhead not gently nudged him out of his fuzziness by rubbing his back. "You should get to sleep, come on," he urged. The blonde didn't protest as Axel's hands slid underneath his butt and he pulled himself off the bench by his legs. The redhead stood easily and took a moment to balance the added weight before trudging off towards the door. As they neared the blonde's bedroom and Roxas knew he would have to say goodnight and be left alone, the feeling in his chest grew tighter and tighter until it was unbearable. Axel stooped over his bed and let his hands fall away so the smaller boy could lower himself to the mattress. Roxas clung to him.

"No," he protested with a displeased grunt. His left calf muscle wasn't exactly happy with the strain but he held tight, refusing to let go of the redhead. Axel tried to gently pry the blonde's limbs from him but he didn't get very far. He sighed and stood again.

"You need to sleep, don't make this any harder than it is," the redhead chastised and tried to pull him off again.

"No," the blonde said again. Axel sighed.

"Please Roxas, just let go."

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"Please."

"No. My Axel," he huffed, the redhead smiled. He turned and sat on the bed and held the blonde's face in his hands. Roxas's cheeks were pink and his eyes were watery and heartrendingly sad.

"You're breaking my heart here. You can't give me that look," he ran his fingers through the boy's downy hair and gave him a faltering smile. "It's not permanent and we're almost done. You said it was helping you even though it sucks," the blonde looked away and took a deep breath, thinking his words over carefully. He nodded gravely.

"I know. It is, I'm sorry," he gave the redhead one last chaste hug before pushing away and sitting on the bed. Axel reluctantly stood again and leaned over to give the boy a kiss on the forehead. He made his way towards the door but was stopped when he was about to leave. "Hey Axel?" He turned, doorknob in hand.

"Hmm?"

"What's love like?" Roxas asked with a confused tone. Axel blinked in surprise and swallowed thickly, looking at the carpet.

"You'll know it when you feel it," he said quietly. The blonde looked at his hands thoughtfully. The redhead waited to make sure there was nothing else the boy needed and stepped out into the hall, pulling the door closed behind him silently. He rubbed his face with his hands and suddenly felt extremely tired. His shoulders weighed fifteen tons as he wandered down the hall and into his bedroom. He fell face first into the comforter and heaved another sigh.

***

"Why is he here still?" Larxene demanded. Rikku turned another page of her book calmly while she sat across from Roxas' desk. The blonde himself was paying attention to his computer screen. He glanced at his mother and adjusted his glasses.

"Because he pulls his weight. Just because I'm not with him anymore doesn't mean I'll just toss him out to be homeless. So long as he's useful, he can stay."

"You'll let a disgusting fag stay here but you won't let your own sister stay? This is ridiculous," the woman huffed. Roxas shrugged.

"Namine needs to reap what she's sewn. She had a choice and she chose wrong. I've already explained this," he said in slight monotone. He turned back to his work effectively snuffing his mother from speaking to him any further. Larxene turned to Rikku.

"Rikku dear, surely you're bothered by this?" she pleaded. The girl shrugged.

"It's Roxas' choice," she said. Larxene sighed and slumped to the door. When it clicked shut behind her Roxas rubbed his eyes and sighed.

"At least she didn't start screaming," he said. Rikku nodded.

"I have a present for you," she twittered and grinned. Roxas' lifted a brow and watched her heft her book bag onto her lap and pull out several hardcover books. She pushed them onto his desk. They were year books from her years in elementary school up until early middle school. "You don't look very thrilled, and here I thought you wanted to know more about Axel," she said.

"Oh, I didn't even register that he would be in them, I'm sorry. I sometimes forget he had a childhood," he laughed. "Thank you." She smiled. He took the stack and put it on the floor under his desk just in case anyone came in and took up the one with the earliest date and opened it. Inside the front cover there were crude crayon drawings Rikku had obviously thought needed to be there when she was around six. He smiled and flipped through the first few pages, skipping over the table of contents and a few pages of the building they went to school in. He stopped when he reached the first page splattered with a large collage of the various things the children would do at Hollow Bastion Elementary. Even though the pages were in grayscale, everyone showed up clearly enough. In the middle of his game of '_Where's Axel?_' the door to the study opened and a familiar tuft of red hair peeked through. Axel stepped in with a tray, carrying their lunch. He had his hair pulled back and it was obvious to the blonde that he had been working in the kitchen.

"Hey guys," he said as he approached. Rikku grinned at him.

"Nice apron," she giggled. Axel rolled his eyes.

"I blame Demyx for that one," he said and handed her a plate. He was about to hand Roxas his own dish when he saw the book. "Oh god is that what I think it is?" he asked. Rikku giggled again with a forkful of salad halfway to her mouth. When he turned to glare at her she quickly shoveled the foliage in so she didn't have to speak.

"I have an entire stack to look at," Roxas said smugly and took his plate. Axel sighed, defeated. He cleared the distance between them and gave the smaller boy a quick kiss in his hair.

"Have fun, I can't stick around," he said and headed for the door. Once he disappeared behind the wood, Rikku shifted her eyes to her not-boyfriend. He looked a little adrift in his own thoughts but he quickly recovered, blinking away the gloss in his eyes and taking up his fork to pick at his lunch. The blonde girl really hoped this whole charade was worth it to him, otherwise he would be even worse off once it was finished if he didn't have some sort of payoff to think back on. The boy settled back into his seat and flipped another page.

"Poor Axel," he said with a small smile, "his first school picture and he's missing some teeth." Rikku giggled. The redhead had an enormous crooked grin plastered across his face in his picture, with his two front teeth missing. His hair stuck up in twenty different directions and his eyes were too stark for his face, giving the illusion that he was actually a thirty year old trapped in a six year old body. Once the pages of class pictures were finished there was another collage labeled '_Open House_.' Axel was in there this time, standing next to his mother and a man Roxas assumed was his father. His heart sunk at the sight of him. Roxas had never so much as seen a picture of him before and the blonde was quick to realize that he never really needed to. All he had to do was look at the current Axel and age him forward by about twenty-five years. The biggest difference between them though was the hair color. Even in grayscale it was obvious his hair was black or very close to it, Axel's shade matched his mother's. The resemblance was uncanny otherwise.

Through the next two books, it was more of the same. Occasionally Roxas would catch a picture of Axel laughing or playing with whatever children were around, sometimes it was obviously Rikku and sometimes it wasn't. He sang in the class choir, he played tee-ball and basketball. His hair gradually grew longer and longer and his eyes slowly started to fit his face. The youthful glow and happiness he extruded was refreshing and extremely cute. It made Roxas smile with a bittersweet feeling. He was happy that Axel had a nice school experience but he did it without the blonde being there. Two completely different worlds living in near tandem, a few miles apart, it was eerie. He set aside the current book and picked up the next expecting more of the same. Smiles, laughing, sparkling grayscale eyes that Roxas knew were really green. It was drastically different.

In the third grade, Axel changed. It took Roxas a moment to realize that this was around the time that Axel's father died. His expressions were hollow, heavy, and his eyes were empty. The blonde couldn't find pictures of him aside from the professional school portrait and even then the redhead gave the bare minimum. A forced smile, one without life in his eyes and teeth showing like they had been in the previous years. There were no more pictures of Axel playing at recess, no more pictures of Axel playing tee-ball or basketball, and no more pictures of him with his parents. Everything simply stopped. The next three books were the same. Only school portraits of a slowly aging redhead with dead eyes and taught skin, nothing else. When he reached the bottom of the stack, Roxas hadn't learned much that he didn't already know. The few tidbits of the brief happiness Axel had when he was younger didn't sate his curiosity. Rikku watched him carefully.

"Do you have the later ones?" he asked her earnestly. She shook her head.

"Not with me, no. I'm not sure you want to see them though," she said. Roxas handed the books back to her and she put them away. "I can bring them next time if you're really anxious but I think I should bring some extra albums to explain the back story, there isn't much in the year books. In high school he joined a couple clubs and there's some little stuff in there but not much that couldn't be seen with outside pictures. They're pretty rough though."

"He said he was near skeletal shortly before rehab, I assume that's true?"

"It is. If I were to bring the ones from high school, they'd be in color and you can really see how sickly he was and just how fucked up he looked. The albums I have only reinforce that. Did you _really_ want to see?"

"I have a morbid curiosity, yes. I'm not sure what it would help or change anything if I saw them though, so I'll get back to you on that," he said and his mood dropped some. He picked at his lunch for a few more minutes before deciding he wasn't hungry anymore and pushing it aside. He turned to his computer screen and sighed before getting back to work.

***

"I'm scared in here, Roxxy. It's not even a real prison, either," Namine said. Her stomach stretched her gray jumpsuit considerably as she sat across the table from her brother who looked blank and tense. Her court date was still a week away and she had been in holding since she attacked Sora three weeks ago. She was officially almost six months along in her pregnancy.

"And? What are you wanting me to do about it?" he growled at her, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I don't suppose you'd believe me if I said I learned my lesson?"

"No."

"Well I have. Please drop the charges, I'll be a good girl, just let me come home."

"Is this why you begged me here? To ask me the same bullshit that you've been asking for the last five days? I've made my decision, it's final. I'm done," he said pushing his chair back and standing. She reached forward with both hands and grabbed his sleeve, her handcuffs jingled. The guard at the door made to pull her away but the blonde waved him off.

"Please Roxxy!" she pleaded, her eyes watering. "I'm sorry! I'll make it up to Sora! Please!"

"No."

"If Sora says it's okay, will you reconsider?"

"No."

"Why? It's his charges that would put me away," she asked, tears trickled down her cheeks and she made no move to wipe them away. She tugged on her brother's sleeve; he gave her a sideways glare.

"_Why?_ Because it's _my_ home and _my _responsibility to keep the people in it safe, that's why. You're the problem and I'm rectifying it. You can forget whatever kindness you think I have left for you, because there isn't any more Namine. Accept it and move on otherwise you'll destroy yourself. I hope for your sake you'll find something to help you find peace but it won't be me. I'm finished," he yanked the fabric from her clutching fingers and headed for the door. The last sound he heard from her was her hysteric sobs and the clinking of her handcuffs against the metal table.

***

"Has Xemnas made any moves yet?" Roxas asked. He stood at his bedroom window with his hands folded behind his back. Xigbar was looking through a small stack of papers with a grimace.

"Nothing that we can see," he said calmly.

"Damn," the blonde muttered. "Why is it so easy for him to not give a damn about his own children?"

"We don't know that he doesn't care, Rox. He just hasn't made a move yet is all. I'm sure we can figure out where he sends his child support from and get his attention that way if you really want to push it but I wouldn't recommend stirring the pot when it doesn't need to be," the older man warned. "He'll come to us eventually, I guarantee it."

"I don't want to wait. I need this to be over with. So many questions have been left unanswered and I want him, and Riku for that matter, to tell me everything."

"Well you need to be patient."

"I have been patient!" Roxas yelled. He immediately regretted it and took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry." Xigbar shrugged and went him, setting the papers aside and pulling the blonde into a firm fatherly hug. He sighed.

"Sometimes things don't always go the way you expect them or want them to, Roxas. You of all people should know that; it's part of growing up." Xigbar pulled back from the boy and patted him on the shoulder. "You're doing a great job holding it together so far; don't ruin it in the final stretch." Roxas took a deep breath and nodded.

"Have you heard anything from Cloud?"

"They're making progress," he said, taking up his papers again. "Xemnas has signed a contract with them and is letting them upgrade the security and surveillance in several of his important buildings. They also bought out some of the smaller ones just as you had asked."

"Good. Hopefully we can move forward a little. If we find anything incriminating the hard part will be making it seem legit so it's admissible in court, but we'll figure that out later," he said, thinking out loud. He waved a hand dismissively. "The best thing would to find the videos, but those are no doubt in his residence and we don't even know where that is."

"Right."

"Anything else?"

"Not on my docket," Xigbar said and turned to excuse himself.

"Xigbar?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"No problem."

***

Axel was starting to think his Composition professor was out to get him. He would catch golden eyes fixed on him every now and again like a tiger watching him through the bars of his cage. From what the redhead could gather, Saïx was a quiet man. He kept to himself and most class days were used to work on their papers that were due every week. He would answer questions simply and efficiently, giving very little room for confusion and future pestering. He reminded the redhead of Zexion in some ways but was more intimidating rather than silently docile.

Molly had asked to be Axel's partner for their critical thinking research paper assignment. She sat across from the redhead with a dreamy look in her eyes, watching him look through his library book and trying to ignore her googly eyes. She was nice, shy, and cute but seriously annoying in anything more than short doses because of her habit of staring. They sat in silence unlike the rest of the class in the research hall, which was full of quiet murmuring. Out the corner of his eye, he saw a streak of blonde and tried to figure out if it was Rikku or Roxas ducked behind the shelf. He couldn't tell.

"Hey Molly can I borrow your cell phone for a minute?" he asked. She nodded and readily handed the device over, with a shy smile. Her little pink phone was much less complicated than his Blackberry and he easily typed out a text message to the pair of blondes asking where they were. A few moments later get got his answer and he sent a reply before handing the phone back. "Thanks." Shortly after, Roxas rounded the shelving unit and smiled at him. He grinned back. Molly looked at him and then to Roxas. The blonde sat in the chair next to him.

"Hello there," the he said and waved at the mousy girl. She waved back.

"Hi…" she said quietly, her eyes glossing over and her cheeks blushing in the same way they did whenever she looked at Axel for too long. The redhead grinned.

"This is Molly; she's my partner for our paper. Molly, this is Roxas."

"Hi…" she repeated and it was obvious she was slowly drifting away from reality. Roxas quirked a brow.

"Is she okay?" he asked. Axel nodded.

"Yeah she does that; she'll wake up in a minute."

"Not the most efficient way of getting things done, I must say. Where's your professor?" he asked looking around. Axel shrugged.

"He's somewhere. Getting coffee maybe. Molly," he said and snapped his fingers in her face. She blinked and looked at him, her cheeks still rosy. "Where's Saïx?" Roxas raised a brow.

"Wait, who?"

"Saïx," Molly said. "He never gave us a last name to call him by. I dunno where he went, Axel. He should be back before the class period is over though," she offered.

"He usually is," the redhead said and reclined in his seat, folding his hands behind his head and letting his shirt slide up, watching as Molly's face drained of color before igniting into a bright crimson again. He fought the urge to laugh. Roxas didn't seem fazed and had his brows furrowed together in thought.

"This may seem odd, but can I ask what this Saïx looks like?" the blonde asked. It was Axel's turn to look confused. Molly's attention snapped to the blonde and she dug out her cell phone again, clicking a few buttons and holding it out to Roxas, showing him a picture of the professor.

"Why did you take his picture?" Axel asked with raised brows.

"No reason," she said quickly. Roxas made a surprised grunt and quickly closed the phone, his eyes darting around suspiciously. Axel touched his arm.

"Are you okay?" he asked. The blonde swallowed thickly and stood.

"Yes, I'm fine," he blurted. "I need to go, I'll see you at home Axel. Be safe," he said and gave the redhead a sudden kiss on the cheek before hurrying off. Molly's jaw dropped and she watched the blonde disappear around the corner again. Axel was thoroughly confused. He rubbed his cheek and looked to Molly whose face looked like someone had just stolen her bike. She looked to Axel suddenly.

"Is he…? Are you…?" she stuttered. Axel shrugged.

"Sorry."

***

Sora tapped his pencil against his desk. He pursed his lips and stared at the words that were flowing in front of him on his test. He hated reading comprehension. It wasn't like he couldn't read and had no comprehension; he just disliked the activity of combining the two. Worse still he hated having no choice in the matter. Taking a test where they force you to read things you don't give two shits about and then having you answer questions about it does not a fun afternoon make. Zexion sat patiently in the corner of the testing hall reading and the brunette was suddenly wishing he had had Demyx take him. At least the sandy blonde would wait around and make faces at him whenever Sora would look his way, Zexion tended to be too serious.

He sighed and filled in another bubble. He assumed he was only about halfway done with the packet of work and still had plenty of time to finish so he didn't feel rushed, just bored. He wondered if he would lose points if he was to draw inappropriate pictures of giant phalluses in the margins. Maybe make a flip book out of the corners of someone getting an enormous erection. That'd show those stuck up schoolmarms for making such a boring test. After he was finished, he had to go back to the doctors for a checkup. Hopefully, his urethra was healed enough to where they could remove the catheter and he could stand up to pee again instead of it just happening on its own. The anticipation did nothing to help time move along faster. He filled in another bubble and turned the page. He squinted at the paper and flipped another page, squinting at it again.

Oh. He was finished.

* * *

A/N : Sorry for the leaps, folks. This was meant as a time transitioning chapter so it's a little fast and jumpy. A little over three weeks was supposed to progress and I hope it wasn't too boring.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

There was a jostling earthquake shaking the hell out of Axel and giving him a headache. He was cranky, so very cranky and the constant shaking was making him boil. It had been lasting for at least a good ten minutes now. A magnitude nine at minimum. The wood of his bed creaked and his mattress sunk with the tremors. Axel let out a ferocious snarl before jutting his arm out and pulling Reno's leg out from under him causing the shorter redhead to fall backwards and the world stopped it's trembling.

"What are you, three? Do you _really_ need to jump on my bed?" he growled. Reno laughed.

"But Ax, it's so springy! I couldn't help it," he grinned. The taller redhead laid his head back down and pulled a pillow over his face. He groaned in frustration. His friend crawled to him and draped a leg over his tall frame straddling him and using his butt as a seat. Reno's hands smoothed over Axel's back and started to knead lightly. "Baby, your back is so tense. You haven't been getting any lovin' have you? That's not good," he cooed.

"Don't be queer, Reno," Paine said and set General Patton on the carpeting to watch him scuttle around. "I don't understand the appeal of these bugs," she said. Axel turned his head in her direction and peeked out from under his pillow.

"They're not bugs."

"Yes they are, just like lobsters."

"Lobsters aren't bugs either," he said and raised a brow. Paine smiled.

"I know, but they look like bugs to me. So they're bugs. End of story." The logic was simple but skewed and the redhead decided to not push it. He grunted as Reno's hands pressed him into the comforter haphazardly nudging the knots out of his back. The other redhead was by no means a professional and it made Axel wonder if Marluxia was available.

"Tell me your troubles, girlfran. Miss your Roxas?" Reno asked. The taller redhead tried to push himself up but was quickly shoved down again by a hand in his hair and inhaled a mouthful of pillow. He growled unhappily and didn't answer.

"I don't think he wants to play today," Paine said. "We didn't exactly ask if we could visit."

"I know but he looked so dumpy in class today."

"He's allowed to be. He has emotions too, and unlike you, he has more than one."

"I only have one emotion? What would that be?"

"Stupid."

"That's not an emotion, silly."

"It is if we're talking about you."

"Aw, I love you too," Reno said happily and Paine shook her head, smiling. Axel groaned and tried to turn his hips so the other boy would get off of him but Reno gave him no leeway. He sighed. "Wanna get up? Too bad. I outweigh you by like six hundred pounds, it ain't happening." Axel groaned.

"I want to take a nap you guys," he said once he could pull his mouth out of the fabric. "Sorry I'm being boring today but I really just want to crawl under a rock and be antisocial."

"That's not healthy," Reno said and rubbed his shoulders. "What if we go get Roxas for you? Where is he?"

"He took his parents and Rikku to dinner."

"Ouch. Sorry. Never mind."

"Yeah, so get off me please. I don't want to be touched," Axel grumbled. Reno sighed and gave him a quick hug before stepping off of him and heading to sit on the floor with Paine. As if on cue, the bedroom door flew open and Sora came bounding in and vaulted himself onto Axel's bed. The redhead jumped up in an instant and punched the brunette in the arm angrily.

"Ow! What was that for!?" he whined and rubbed his limb with a sour expression.

"I take it you got your catheter out?" Paine asked. Sora nodded happily.

"It hurts to pee but I can do it!" he squealed and grinned. Axel rubbed his face.

"Great, fantastic. Get the fuck out," he growled. The smaller boy's eyes went wide.

"I'm hurt, Axel. I thought you'd be happy for me."

"I said it was fantastic didn't I?"

"Yeah but you're angry."

"Because you burst through the door and leapt onto my bed when I didn't want you to."

"Axel's grumpy," Reno piped. Sora looked the taller redhead over.

"I can tell."

"Yes. I am. I want to take a nap and wake up tomorrow if that's okay with all of you."

"That's not taking a nap, that's going to sleep," Paine said. Axel sighed and started to push himself under his blankets. None of his friends got the blatant hint and he buried his head under a mound of cotton and down to avoid them. Suddenly, the covers were moving around and set of chestnut spikes appeared against him. Behind him, another weight happened and he sighed again, taking comfort in the warm bodies cuddling up to him even if they weren't Roxas.

"Goodnight John Boy," Reno said and Sora giggled.

"Goodnight Elizabeth, goodnight Mary Ellen," the brunette added.

"Goodnight Ben," Paine said. Axel laughed.

"I can't believe you all just did that."

"It got you to smile didn't it?" Reno asked.

"Yeah, yeah it did."

"That was the _whole_ point."

***

Roxas was bored out of his mind. Rikku looked just as bored as he was and yet his parents were laughing it up and having the time of their lives. They were both obnoxiously drunk and Larxene was guffawing at something Luxord said that was apparently the greatest thing she had ever heard. The blonde was very thankful he had the forethought to book a private area away from the rest of the restaurant. Four bottles of wine down, time to lug them home.

"This is really embarrassing I'm sorry you have to see them like this," the boy apologized. Rikku smiled.

"Aside from them acting like idiots it was a nice dinner. The most expensive one I've ever had by far. This totally isn't Applebee's. Thanks, you don't have to take this so seriously," she offered. He shrugged and fiddled with the ring Axel had given him.

"It makes for a convincing story at the very least, but I wanted to give you something back for being so patient with all this anyway. It was my pleasure," he said. His parents weren't listening to a word they were saying, which they often did when they were completely plastered. Rikku smiled.

"You're welcome." Roxas stood and sighed, smoothing his hands down his slacks a little, pushing the fabric into place again. He looked at his parents. Larxene was still laughing and had her head lain on the tablecloth, while Luxord was slouched in his chair with a grin and red cheeks. He shook his head. He went to the door of their private setting and motioned for Xigbar, who was sitting outside waiting for them. The older man groaned.

"Really? How much did you spend on them to get them this blasted?" he asked. Roxas looked at the check and shrugged.

"Less than I thought I would, honestly." Rikku gave them a sheepish look before standing and fixing her dress.

"Did you want help carrying them?" she asked. Xigbar looked the adults over and sighed.

"If you can help Roxas keep an arm on his dad, I can grab his mom." Roxas ran a hand through his hair tiredly and took his father's wrist, pulling him. The man happily tried to stand but staggered some and burped. He let out a disoriented snort and leaned on his son. The blonde rolled his eyes and helped him towards the door, followed closely by Rikku who waited to be useful. Xigbar hefted Larxene by her armpits and the woman laughed and tried to worm away like he was tickling her. She staggered and fell forward forcing Xigbar to lunge and grab her arm to keep her steady. It took them twenty embarrassing minutes to get to the limousine and throw the drunks in the back. The younger pair climbed over their legs and sat as far away from them as they could. Just in case his parents would notice, Roxas took Rikku's hand and held it gently. She gave his a squeeze to tell him no hard feelings. He smiled, a weary movement.

Before the car even started to move, the activity in the back of the limo was fraught with slurred speech, belching, and awkward gropes that made Roxas hide his face in his hands and Rikku watch them with wide and amused eyes. Larxene, of course, was the more rambunctious of the two. She was groping at Luxord's pants causing the man to shove her away and laugh stupidly as he tried to shush her for whatever reason, spraying saliva all over his finger rather than doing anything effective. Roxas was mortified. Rikku took out her cell phone and clicked a picture.

"I have to send this to Reno," she said and began clicking away at her phone, giggling. Roxas didn't care; he just wanted to get away from his parents as quickly as possible.

"I'm so happy no reporters are around," he said quietly to himself. Rikku smiled and patted his shoulder.

***

"Dude, this is hilarious," Reno said and shoved his cell phone into Axel's face, causing the other redhead to startle and stop chewing. He blinked in surprise as his eyes adjusted to a picture of Roxas' parents. Larxene was on her knees grabbing onto Luxord's groin. They both had ridiculous grins painted on their faces and their complexions were flushed. They were obviously drunk and sitting in what looked to be a limo. Axel snorted a laugh around his mouthful of pasta.

"Po' Rothath," he sputtered grabbing his napkin when he felt like a dribble of sauce was going to escape. Reno grinned and looked at the phone again.

"I wish my parents were such party people, they're so white picket fence it's depressing," he said.

"We all can't have such wonderful role models," Paine said and spun her fork around her spaghetti, winding it around the prongs. Demyx had cooked dinner a little late that evening and the group had gotten in an hour long nap before they were called down. Axel was feeling better and seeing the picture made him thankful that he wasn't out with them otherwise one of the parents would've been punched at that point. Reno held the device out to Sora who giggled.

"Poor Roxas, indeed. If I know him well enough he has to be about as red as a tomato and about to shit himself from embarrassment," he peeped. Axel nodded in agreement.

***

Roxas sighed again. Rikku had her hands folded in her lap, waiting patiently just like he was. Xigbar didn't smoke in the limo whenever he was driving and so he usually had a cigarette before getting in. This time though, he must have been taking his sweet time, because Roxas was growing impatient. He furrowed his brows and pushed the button that lowered the darkened glass between the driver's cabin and the back. He blinked when he could see through the non-tinted windows. Xigbar was gone. He stuck his head in the front seat and looked around. He wasn't anywhere in immediate eyesight.

"Stay here," Roxas said to the girl and made his way to the door nearly stepping on his mother in the process. He stepped out into the parking garage and looked around.

"What's up?" Rikku said from inside the car.

"Something isn't right, Xigbar is gone," he responded. The blonde scanned the sea of cars in the parking garage for anything suspicious. Nothing seemed out of place.

"Yeah?" the girl asked and poked her head out of the door. Luxord and Larxene laughed stupidly at each other, proving themselves to be completely useless. Roxas tried to shoo the girl back inside the car but she got out anyway and stood straight, looking around just like he had. "Weird, maybe he forgot something inside?" The boy shrugged. He pulled out his Blackberry and dialed the older man's number. There was an echo of a plastic rattling nearby. Rikku scampered around the back of the car to follow the noise. Roxas turned to follow her but stopped dead in his tracks.

"_Rikku_!" he screamed as he took in the view of the open trunk of a car with the barrel of a rifle sticking out into plain sight. There was a loud click and a puff of air as a dart shot out of the metal tube and stuck the girl in the meat of her thigh. She yelped and grabbed her leg, pulling the pointy thing out and giving it a disgruntled look.

"What the fu…" she drifted as her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell onto the concrete. Roxas' eyes flew wide as the barrel shifted quickly and another click was heard before there was a sharp pinch in his shoulder. He had a few seconds to notice the green of the dart that reminded him so much of Axel's eyes before the world started to fade. He crashed into the ground and the last thing he could see was Xigbar's cigarette glowing next to his Blackberry by the front tire of the limousine.

***

"M'kay goodnight Ax. Thanks for putting up with us even if we weren't invited," Reno said as he and Paine headed for the shorter redhead's car. Axel waved.

"Sorry I was such a grumpy old man," he said with a grin. Sora's arm peeked out from behind him and the brunette waved excitedly. The pair waved goodbye before taking their respective seats in the vehicle and driving off. The redhead waited until they were out of sight before closing the door. Sora giggled.

"I like your friends," he said. Axel shrugged.

"They can be your friends too, you know. You're allowed." They both started to walk towards the stair case. "What time is it?" Sora shrugged.

"I dunno, I don't wear a watch and I don't have a phone."

"You'd think Roxas and everyone would be home by now, it has to be late," Axel added. They both walked up the stairs and Axel headed into his room, Sora followed. "Holy shit, it's almost midnight," he said, pointing to his alarm. The hard feeling in the pit of Axel's gut was back. The uncertainty crept inward and he was suddenly overcome with a bunch of bad feelings. Sora furrowed his brows and looked to him.

"I'm sure they're fine. Right? Or do you feel as weird as I do?" he asked. Axel nodded.

"Yeah. Something isn't right. Roxas would've called if they were going to be out this late. It was only supposed to be dinner. Let's try and give them a call," he said and Sora nodded. They headed back down the stairs and into the study. Axel sat in Roxas' chair and pulled the phone across the desk. He picked up the receiver and tried to dial Rikku's phone. It was silent. He squinted at it and hung up. He picked it up again and tried a second time. Nothing. "What the hell?" he asked. Sora raised a brow.

"What? What's wrong?"

"The phone isn't working. The power isn't out right?"

"The light is on, stupid."

"Oh ha ha, yeah okay I get it. But seriously. The phone isn't working. I know ours were disconnected but I didn't think the other ones were too. That's taking it to an extreme don't you think?" Sora shrugged.

"Try 911," he offered. Axel nodded and dialed. It began to ring and he gave the brunette a thumbs up. Sora smiled, satisfied with himself. A woman answered the call.

"Yes, um. I'm not sure if this is really an emergency but it's looking like part of my family is missing? I mean they went out to dinner together and have been gone for a really long time and I can't contact them." Sora watched the redhead's expression droop some as he listened to the woman. "Twenty four hours? Are you sure? This is really uncharacteristic of them though and it's a little weird. I—okay fine. Thank you," Axel said and hung up again. "It takes twenty four hours for someone to be considered missing," he said. Sora sighed.

"I'm scared," the brunette said. "Let's stay up and wait for them."

"Yeah. I would say lets go somewhere and use a payphone to call Xigbar or someone but I don't even have my keys and it'd take forever to walk into town."

"We can try the neighbors. They're only about a half a mile away."

"Correction. _Your_ house was only a half a mile away. The other ones are at least a mile. I know this because I walked it," the redhead said grimly. Sora's gaze drifted towards the desk and his face went blank. "Sorry," Axel said quickly and the brunette gave a light nod. "I guess we can try though."

"I really wish the other guys lived here," the brunette said. He was referring to the fact that they were the only two in the house at that moment. The staff had left for the evening as they usually did around eight o'clock. Since Sora was better and could take care of himself, Demyx and Zexion left as if it were any other day. The house suddenly seemed so much larger as the realization came to the redhead. Cold almost.

They bundled up as best they could before stepping outside into the cold. February wasn't as cold as January was, but it was still enough to give them shivers. Axel pocketed his keys, which would only open the front door, garage door, and his bedroom, and let the entrance click shut behind them, listening for the beep of the security system. He nodded to Sora and the brunette moved to walk close to him. They sighed together as they walked past the buried landscaping and out onto the sidewalk. The redhead pulled out his cigarettes and handed one to the brunette as they headed in the only direction they could.

***

Axel's teeth chattered together as he rang the doorbell of another enormous mansion down the long road from Roxas.' Sora leaned on him, trying to steal his body heat. It was taking forever for someone to answer and the redhead pressed the doorbell again, hugging himself. He let out a relieved sigh when he could see a light flick on in the distant reaches of the house though the window. Another few moments passed and an older gentleman in a blue housecoat and slippers squinted angrily at them as he pulled the door open.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" he asked with narrowed eyes. Axel tried to calm his teeth long enough to speak.

"We need your phone," he said between shudders. "Please," he sputtered as an afterthought. The man hesitated and looked them over before sighing and stepping aside, letting them in.

"Wait here," the man ordered and shut the door. He walked off into the house. Axel looked to Sora. The brunette stared into the floor with unfocused eyes, his lips were chapped and his cheeks were red from the cold. He looked miserable. Axel unzipped his coat and tugged the smaller boy to him, pulling the fabric closed around him. Sora shivered and hugged him. They waited patiently for what seemed like an eternity before the man came back and handed Axel a cordless receiver.

"Thank you…" the redhead chattered. The man stood off to the side and crossed his arms keeping them under a harsh glare. Axel dialed Rikku's number again, and it rang. And rang. And rang. And rang. He hung up and dialed Xigbar. More of the same. Sora looked up at him with wide and worried eyes. Axel sighed and tried Roxas, fearing the worst. It rang for the longest time before there was a click and a gravelly voice answered. "Hello?" the redhead asked.

"Who is this?" the low grumble asked.

"Where's Roxas?" he asked, ignoring the request. Sora's breathing sped up some as panic started to set in. The man gave them a questioning look. The brunette stood on his tip toes and leaned an ear in to the conversation, Axel bent to let him hear. The voice on the other line let out a rumbling laugh and Sora gasped.

"Lexaeus!" he cried and grabbed the phone from the redhead. "Lex, where's Roxxy!?" he squealed.

"Sora? I thought you were dead," Lexaeus said. "Oh well."

"Well I'm not," he huffed. Sora's teeth clicked together as his body heat started to catch up to him again. "Put Roxxy on the line," he demanded.

"No that's alright. He's sleeping. Don't want to disturb him. His new girlfriend is pretty cute though. I hope Riku will let me have a go at her." Axel's eyes widened and he took the phone back.

"Bastard! Where are you?" he yelled. "I'll fucking kill you if you so much as walk past them!" Lexaeus let out a loud barking laugh and the redhead had to pull the receiver away from his ear because of the volume. The line clicked again and there was silence. The feeling in the pit of Axel's stomach leapt to his chest as it was slowly becoming harder to breathe. His mind flooded with the images of the giant man, Lexaeus, who followed Sora around when they were in Greece. The giant man who picked up Axel by his throat so easily. The man who pinned him to the ground like he was a feather. That man, who worked for Xemnas and his twisted son, had Roxas and Rikku.

"Is there something I should be aware of?" the man in the housecoat asked. Sora backed away from the taller boy and gaped at him. Axel cradled the phone in his hands like it was going to disintegrate if he was too rough with it. Sora stared at the redhead in disbelief as his jade eyes filled with tears. He swallowed thickly as they poured down his cheeks with out him realizing. The most shocking part of the sight to Sora was that Axel's face was calm and unmoving. The redhead looked like he could head out for a leisurely stroll through the sunshine save for the fact that his eyes were like waterfalls.

"They took my Roxas," he whispered. His eyebrows slowly rose up his forehead and he blinked a few times, looking down to the brunette, expression unchanged. "They…took him, Sora. They took him and I don't know where to find him," he said quietly. The brunette stared at him in silent shock; his lips parted some but stuck in wordlessness. Axel inhaled deeply through his mouth and breathed it out through his nose. He licked his lips. There was a long pause from him, simply letting his tears drip off of his jaw. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. He held it open for a minute before he blinked a few more times. "I'm going to kill them," he said in the same calm and quiet tone. "I'm going to kill them, and then I'll rape their bodies. If there is anything left of me when I'm done, I'll kill their dog too if they have one." He held the phone out to the brunette and Sora took it with shaking hands. He was afraid of Axel. He didn't like him acting like this. Before he could say anything, the redhead continued.

"They took my mom. They took my will power. They took everything I had from me. They took your sister," he said, locking unmoving watery eyes with Sora's terrified ones. "They took your brother. They took your home. They took your stability. They took your entire life from you, just like they did from me and for what? Why?" he started in vague monotone. He blinked a few more times and fresh tears came forth. He sniffled and shrugged nonchalantly. "I've lived long enough without it to not even care anymore. Isn't that weird? All it takes is a few months to find something new to hang onto and one can just let everything else go," he laughed lightly as a wide gaping grin spread across his face, a twisted and broken expression. The stream of tears bent with his skin. He let his mouth hang open for a moment as his fogged mind thought up the correct sequence of words, his eyes unfocused and he stared past the brunette into the tile of the strange house's entryway. "They can keep it all. It's not like we can ever get any of it back. I don't want it anymore, but I'll be damned if I let them take Roxas," he laughed, open mouthed and breathy with his skin pulled back in such a tight grin his gums showed. When he was finished with his hysteric noise, he let out a sigh and closed his mouth into a smile. Sora blinked at him and the man in the housecoat gave him a wary look.

"Axel?" the brunette asked in a tiny voice.

"Hmm?" he hummed in response, raising a brow and smiling presently at the smaller boy. Sora licked his lips and swallowed.

"Are you crazy?"

"Maybe just a little."

"Okay. Just so we're clear," he agreed and turned on the phone again. He dialed something and held the receiver up to his ear. "Sephiroth? It's Sora. Can you come get me?"

***

Sephiroth sat behind his enormous glass desk with his legs crossed at the ankles, typing away at his computer. His office was littered with a semi-organized chaotic mess of computer pieces, wires, and electrical equipment. He had an over abundance of flat monitors hung on the walls and four different computer towers buzzing away in a corner. He had his back to the boys, who were snuggled together on his clean lined black sofa with mugs of hot chocolate. Axel stared into space, letting the porcelain scald his hands. Sora watched the computer screen confusedly as Sephiroth worked, the various ultraviolet lights making him seem more ethereal. There was a loud ringing that sounded like an old rotary telephone. Sephiroth minimized his work and pulled up Skype. He clicked a few keys and the image split and lit up four monitors at once. The silver haired man dug around and pulled out a microphone from a pile of mess and felt around behind one of the monitors before plugging it in. He sat back in his chair and waited.

A bleary eyed and topless Cloud faded onto the screens, scratching his tousled hair and squinting against the light of his own computer monitor. He was wearing a headset and adjusted it on his ears. In the background was a bed, and a leg that no doubt belonged to Tifa sticking out from under the covers. Sora let out a happy squeak when he saw the older blonde and practically started to drool. Cloud yawned and grumbled.

"What is it?" he said groggily. He squinted close to the screen. "Sora? And… Axel?" The brunette waved.

"Hi Cloud!" he squealed. Axel made no move to greet him.

"Where's Roxas?" the older blonde asked.

"That's why we're calling. There's been an incident and I don't have the programs to find him," Sephiroth interjected before Sora could squeal anymore. "Can you do a GPS on his cell and see what towers it bounced from recently?" Cloud blinked a few times before his face turned serious. There was a light clacking as his fingers began to work away at his keyboard off screen. Sephiroth turned his seat to face them.

"Did you boys want anything else while we have a minute?" he asked. Sora giggled. Axel blinked but remained motionless otherwise.

"I could use a refill please," the brunette chirped happily and held out his empty mug. The man stood and took it from him and exited the office, boots clomping against the hardwood heavily. Sora took the mug out of Axel's hands and set it aside. The redhead made no move to stop him and kept staring blankly into nothing. The smaller boy sighed and ran his fingers through Axel's mane some and watched his face for any change. He received none. He sat back and waited quietly. Eventually, Sephiroth came back and handed off a fresh hot cocoa to the brunette, who smiled.

Cloud clicked away at his computer a while longer before Tifa started to stir. Her foot twitched before her leg disappeared and the covers fell aside. She groaned and sat up, squinting at the blonde from the bed. She stood and padded to him sleepily, draping her arms around his neck and kissing his temple. He pulled the microphone of his headset aside and muttered something to her and she blinked before her face grew into one with concern. She let him go and stood back. Sora inhaled his cocoa with a snort as the older blonde stood from his chair, and all of Sephiroth's screens suddenly turned into a giant view of Cloud's sweatpants encased groin as the blonde fiddled with something that was above the computer. The brunette coughed against his liquid filled lungs and blushed. There was a click and creak as the blonde pulled down a metal arm, holding a large monitor. He adjusted the screen into the camera view and clicked a few things. An image of a map blinked to life behind him with three red dots. Tifa replaced herself on his shoulders and Sora glared at her.

"Alright," he started. "According to the call that was received a little over forty five minutes ago, the phone is somewhere within ten yards of that stupid smoothie place down by the park. If I had to hazard a guess I'd say it's probably _in_ the building itself but I can only narrow it down so much. Do I even _want_ to know what happened this time?" he grumbled. Three spheres appeared on the screen around the red dots. They all intersected at one place, showing where the signal was sent from in a yellow triangle.

"It's up to you, I can give you the short of it," Sephiroth said. Cloud nodded. "Roxas took a friend and his parents out to dinner and he hasn't come back. The boys were by themselves and worried but the phones weren't working so they walked to find one and called me." Cloud's eyebrows rose.

"I assume that they called Roxas too? And someone who wasn't him answered?" Sephiroth nodded. Tifa scowled as did the blonde. "Fuck," he grunted and furrowed his brows, running a hand over his face. "Sora?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you call everyone else?"

"Not yet."

"Do that, I'll call the police. Stay with Sephiroth for now. I'll leave the channel open in case you need me," he said and took off his headset and disappeared from the screen. Tifa took his seat and frowned. She put on the headset.

"Axel sweetie?" she cooed with a hint of sleep still in her voice. The redhead blinked a few times and shifted his blank stare to the screens. "Are you alive back there?" He shook his head and looked away again.

"They broke him," Sora said flatly and sipped his cocoa.

***

"Meadows!" the guard called. Namine's eyes slid open easily. She'd become accustomed to getting little sleep. Between the baby and the holding cell, they did nothing to help lull her into dreamland. Her hair was a mess, her jumpsuit was dirty, and she felt miserable from inadequate tasting food and having only water. The loneliness was the worst part though. She wasn't wanted anywhere anymore, least of all by her own family. She sat up slowly, letting her aching back get adjusted to being upright. The guard appeared by her cell, slipping a key into the lock and pushing the gate open. "Bail's been paid," he said simply. She blinked in confusion.

"What? Really?" she mumbled with skepticism. She stood on shaky legs and tentatively walked towards the open gateway. She tried to look through the doorway and down the hall before stepping out but the guard hurried her along by the arm. She was lead out into a linoleum hallway with cinderblock walls and into an open room with sparse uncomfortable seating. She was pushed into another room off of that one where a fat woman with straggly hair handed her the clothing she came in and a pair of government issued plain sneakers.

"Change behind the curtain," she ordered and pulled back a papery blue sheet and ushered Namine in. She girl stood silently by herself for a moment, mind blank and swimming. "Get changed," the woman ordered again. The girl blinked a few times before peeling off her grey cotton skin and slipping on her normal clothing. She had to leave her pants unbuttoned and partially unzipped but thankfully her shirt was long enough to accommodate. Once she stepped out of the curtain she was pushed back out into the lobby-like room with uncomfortable seating. She gasped.

"Namine," Xemnas said kindly and held out his hand for her. She stared at him with wide eyes and gaping mouth for a long moment, long enough for him to register her uneasiness and soften his expression. "I'm sorry you had to wait so long, but it's time to go home," he said and smiled. "Don't you want to leave?" She blinked and swallowed nervously before nodding quickly.

"Why?" her voice managed to croak out. "Where's Roxxy?"

"You won't be persecuted by him anymore. He's come to his senses and is waiting for you. Come, let's go," the man calmly and Namine reached her hand forward timidly. Once she could feel the warmth of his skin, she let out a relieved sigh. They walked hand in hand quietly out towards the front of the building. Xemnas took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders before they stepped out into the cold. She pulled it around herself and followed him towards his car where Saïx was waiting by the driver's side. The blue-haired stoic man turned to her and opened the back seat for her and she climbed in. Xemnas sat next to her and smiled. She gave him a weary smile in return. Saïx took his seat and started the car.

"Did I do good, cupcake?" she asked quietly. "Did I wait long enough?" Xemnas' smile broadened and he laid a hand in her hair, pushing it around and behind her ears gently.

"You've done everything perfectly," he said soothingly.

"You're not angry at me?"

"No. I could never be angry with you." He leaned over and pulled the girl to him and she settled against his chest. He kissed her hair and she took a deep breath, closing her eyes. "Happy Valentine's day, Namine." She looked up to him and smiled.

"Am I your valentine?"

"Of course you are, who else would I have?"

"Anyone you wanted."

"I already have who I want, right here."

"Really? Me?" her eyes glittered with the passing street lights as they filled with happy tears. Xemnas' smile persisted and he nodded. She let out a weak laugh and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him in an almost desperate motion. He squeezed her close and shifted his amber eyes to lock onto Saïx's in the rearview mirror. The driver nodded silently and shifted course.

***

Rikku couldn't see anything but she had a headache. All she could hear was a sickening wet noise of someone being choked by having something shoved in their throat. Over and over again the gagging noise repeated itself until whoever it was started to cough against it. She tried to move and found she was bound at the hands and ankles and her face lay against hard flooring with a wad of fabric shoved in her mouth. Her mind reeled, trying to take in what she remembered.

_Okay, so dinner with Roxas' mom and dad. Waited in the limo for a long time, went to get out and investigate and then I feel asleep_, she categorized mentally. The gagging stopped abruptly and there was panting and coughing as someone tried to catch their breath. Rikku listened as whoever it was staggered around in their place and there was another gag before a moist splattering and splashing sound. Someone threw up.

"Not dead yet, Roxxy? Good. Open up. I'm not finished," a male voice she didn't recognize said calmly.

_Roxas_? Rikku thought. She tried to speak around the cotton but could only manage a strangled muffle. There was a loud smack and a brief moment of silence before the gagging started again. Just as the suffocated coughing started again it became muffled as the male let out a shuddering grunt. Rikku's heart rate sped up with the images she was conjuring up. She knew what some of those noises were and wasn't exactly sure she wanted to know who was making them or how they involved Roxas; but she did want to know if her not-boyfriend was okay. Roxas let out a loud gasp as his airway became free again and he choked, coughing violently. The other male laughed at him. The laughter faded with footsteps and a door opened and closed, leaving them in silence together. Roxas' choking eased some and she heard him spit. She tried moving around again to catch his attention. She clicked her shoes against the floor.

"Rikku?" Roxas' voice sounded raspy and low. She clicked her shoes again and muffled against her gag, shaking her head. "Hang on, I'll be there in a minute," he said quietly. There was a shuffling and she could feel him draw close. He plopped in front of her and she could feel fingers nudging the fabric from her mouth. He gave a quick pull and she coughed and flexed her jaw to life again. "You have duct tape on your eyes, hang on, I may take some of your eyebrows off," he said calmly and picked at the tape gingerly. She could feel his fingernail get underneath a corner before it slowly started to peel from her skin.

"Ow. Ow. Ow, god damn," she swore through the process. She squinted as the world lit up again and all she could see was Roxas' hands shackled together behind his back and the backside of his slacks. He scooted away from her and turned to face her. His legs were free, unlike hers and she was jealous. His cheeks were flushed and his mouth red from abuse. He looked shaken, beaten, tired and trampled. He gave her a forced smile.

"Welcome to my life," he whispered.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Axel had fallen asleep sometime in the wee hours of the morning along with Sora and they were whisked off to bed together by Sephiroth and Marluxia. The two men returned to Sephiroth's office where an extremely upset Demyx was being comforted by Zexion. Cloud, still sitting in front of his computer, yawned into his sixth cup of coffee. The air was melancholic, tense, and dark. Sephiroth wasn't exactly pleased he was getting involved in something that had nothing to do with him but he decided to keep his protests to himself and help his boss out and possibly earn himself a nice raise or a bonus in his next paycheck. This was work, nothing personal. Demyx heaved another sob and pressed his face into Zexion's chest.

"Why does this keep happening?" the sandy blonde cried. His partner didn't have an answer for him and simply rubbed his back. Marluxia sat next to them and crossed his arms angrily.

"I'm tired of this. I blame Namine," he huffed. "She has to be involved somehow."

"I hear you on that and I agree," Cloud added through the monitors. Tifa's hand appeared from off screen with a coffee pot and refilled his mug. "According to the police, someone paid her bail last night. I'm betting it wasn't Roxas."

"Did they find anything at the smoothie place?" Zexion asked, the blonde shook his head.

"Just his Blackberry. It was empty otherwise," he responded. Zexion sighed. Demyx pushed away from him and sniffled loudly, rubbing at his eyes. Marluxia tapped his foot quietly, glaring into the floor.

"If Nami is free, d'you think she'll take whoever to the house?" Demyx asked. Cloud's hands stopped typing as he thought it over. Sephiroth slid his chair to his desk and pulled up another screen of incomprehensible drabble with a click of his mouse. His fingers started to work away at the keyboard.

"Address and security code," he demanded and Cloud started to typing again. There was a beep and a box popped up. "I assume the system is ours?" the silver haired man asked and the blonde nodded.

"Of course it is. He's family," he chided and Sephiroth rolled his eyes.

"Silly me," he said flatly. Cloud smirked. After a few more minutes of typing and a few clicks of the mouse, the image of Cloud shrunk to one screen and a series of views of the outside entrances of the manor appeared. "You don't have any cameras inside? That's not very smart," he said with the shake of his head and Cloud shrugged.

"You can pull up anyone's camera system right here at your desk?" Marluxia questioned with a raised brow.

"Anyone within our company's server, yes. I don't normally do this though but I have the capability to. I can do it in my office at the corporate building as well."

"That's unsettling."

"Most modern security centers have the ability to do it when you think about it. Maybe not this clearly but once you're hooked into their system they can tell who comes and goes by way of forced locks or keypads. Our monitoring center is a little more advanced than most others, as we expanded into cameras and visual media, but it's an optional feature," Sephiroth offered. "Apparently Roxas' home uses keypads, laser cut keys, and fingerprinting which should make things a little easier to identify specific people. Alright," he started. The image of the front entrance rewound itself to the night before. "Cloud, you getting this?"

"Yep," the blonde said, he crossed his arms and reclined in his seat watching his own monitor closely. The video played at a relatively quick pace and the view showed Roxas leading Rikku by the hand out the front entrance followed shortly by his parents and Xigbar. Less than an hour of inactivity passed and Reno and Paine could be seen being greeted by Zexion. Several more hours of nothingness passed and the staff could be seen leaving at regular intervals, locking up behind them. Reno and Paine left a few hours after that. Before the part where Axel and Sora decided to leave a figure dressed completely in white moved to the front and peered into the windows. Sephiroth froze the feed.

"I wonder how long _he_ was there," Demyx said. "I don't remember seeing anyone when Zexxy and I left," he looked to Marluxia who shrugged. "He blends with the snow pretty well though." The various camera angles weren't enough to identify the figure as he was hooded and had the fabric pulled low over his eyes. Sephiroth inched the frames along slowly until the mysterious man decided to leave, which was all of maybe five minutes later. As he was leaving though, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and pulled out a small device and started talking into it. He disappeared from the camera view and not twenty minutes later, Axel and Sora left. Sephiroth let the feed run its course and sat back in his chair with furrowed brows, thinking.

"I'm going to send this to the police," Cloud said abruptly and started working away at his keyboard again. Sephiroth went to go make everyone some coffee and Demyx leaned against Zexion who was imitating Marluxia's sour expression and angry glaring at the floor. Tifa appeared behind Cloud again and watched over his shoulder. She muttered something inaudible and he nodded. He finished typing and got up and left. There was a beeping and he could be heard talking in the distance though no one understood what he was saying. The doorbell rang to Sephiroth's home and the man's boots clunked against the floor as he went to answer it. Shortly afterward, Reno and Paine came into the office.

"Hello everyone," Reno said. "What can we do to help?"

"Make sure Axel and Sora have some moral support," Zexion said. "Other than that, you'd have to ask Sephiroth." Tifa sat in Cloud's chair and put on the headset. She waved at the camera.

"Hi Reno," she said and smiled warmly. "Who's your friend there?" Paine stepped forward and tried to smile for the woman.

"I'm Paine," she said. Tifa nodded.

"Axel needs all the friends he can get right now, this really messed him up. I'm not sure what Sora's take on it all is, but I'm sure they need you both. They're sleeping somewhere if you want to join them, I believe Cloud and Sephiroth have it covered from this angle." Reno and Paine looked to each other and left the office quietly.

***

The cell was all too familiar to Roxas. The biggest difference between this one and the one he and Axel had been in before was the lighting and the lack of dead bodies. It was brightly lit with florescent bulbs flickering away in the ceiling with concrete walls and concrete floors. This one had a drain in the middle of the floor and was much smaller giving the blonde the impression that it had been a shower room or something at one point. The door was metal, and locked. The only form of ventilation was a tiny grate in one corner of the ceiling and they had a light switch. Both blondes were chained to the walls with large anchors keeping them in place and shackles with padlocks. Only Rikku had her ankles duct taped together and she grunted as she inched along the ground like a caterpillar.

"Did you want some help?" Roxas asked with a raised brow. He was still in his loafers, dress shirt and nice slacks he had gone to dinner in.

"No no, I'm cool," she said and scrunched herself up so her knees were pulled under her. Her biggest complication was her dress and she kept having slip around to keep her legs from tangling in it. She kicked her heels off and gained her footing and was able to hoist herself into a sitting position and she wiggled around in the fabric to settle it. Rikku smiled some, satisfied with her feat. "See? All good."

"Alright," the boy said and eyed the puddle of vomit in the far corner as it slowly congealed onto the floor. It was oozing towards the drain. They couldn't smell the odor from it anymore and for that he was thankful, it made it less embarrassing. "I'm sorry you had to get roped into this. It wasn't exactly my intention."

"How many times have you been kidnapped exactly?"

"This will make number two."

"Oh. Well at least you're a veteran," she said jokingly. Roxas smiled a little.

"You don't seem very upset."

"What are they going to do? Rape me? I can't get pregnant and I don't allow myself to be intimidated by sex. They could always kill me I suppose but even then once it's done, what do I care? I don't have much fear for stuff like that," she said simply. "I like pain too much to let _that_ affect me as well."

"You can't get pregnant and you _like_ pain?"

"Yeah. When I told Axel that I was 'safe' that's what that means. I had my tubes tied last fall and I can't have babies, so I can have all the sex I want. I can indulge myself in bondage too if I can find someone other than Sephiroth who's willing," she giggled. Roxas' eyes widened some. Rikku was apparently completely different in her private affairs and yet so happy and delightful when she was in public that it was unsettling. It didn't change who she was to Roxas but she was definitely categorized differently in his mind.

"But you said you like babies."

"I do, and I can adopt if I ever want to be a mom," she said. Roxas furrowed his brows together trying to comprehend her mentality. "Don't get me wrong, Roxas, I'm totally not happy to be here and I would rather be in my bed sleeping but I'm not going to get hysterical about it because that's probably what they want. I've watched enough crime dramas to understand that much."

"I just hope you're prepared enough to see some of the things I have in the recent past. It goes beyond rape and kidnapping, Rikku. I can't even fathom what they'll do to us this time."

"Well, I'll react when I see it. But right now, it's not freak out worthy for me."

"You're lucky."

"I like to think so." There was a loud banging on the door and the metal burst inward to show an overly happy Riku with a bucket in his hands. He grinned at the room before noticing the pair sitting together in the corner. His face went placid.

"Aw, and here I was thinking you guys would be asleep so I could wake you up. What am I going to do with this water?" he asked. He sniffed the air and crinkled his nose looking to the vomit in the corner. He walked the few steps to it and upended the bucket onto the floor, washing most of the mess towards the drain. He shrugged. "Don't say I didn't do you any favors, Roxxy."

"You haven't," Roxas said and gave him a glare.

"Oh ho! Feisty!" the silver haired boy grinned and looked down to Rikku. "How're you doing little cutie? I'm Riku."

"Oh really? Me too!" she squeaked happily and reciprocated his grin. His smile faded and he looked to Roxas with a suspicious face.

"Really Roxxy? You had to substitute me with a woman? Whatever happened to that other one? What was his name? Alex?"

"Axel," the boy said and Riku snapped his fingers.

"That's right, I forgot. I'm so absentminded sometimes. But seriously? She doesn't even have the right hair or eye color. You didn't pick a very good look alike," he said mirthfully, giving the girl a once over. In the back of her mind, Rikku came to the realization that this was the voice that was with Roxas when she first woke up. She wasn't panicking yet, but it was an important tidbit to remember.

"I can't help that I'm cuter than you," she jabbed. Riku raised a brow and laughed. Roxas cast the girl a wary gaze.

"I like you," he said. "I like you a lot. How's about you and me have some fun? I can guarantee I'm much better than Roxas." Rikku looked thoughtful.

"No thanks. Roxas is pretty great; I think I'll be fine with just him."

"Did you just tell me 'no?'" Riku's face darkened. Rikku's eyebrows slid up her forehead.

"I did. Is that like your hot button or something?"

"Be quiet, Rikku," Roxas blurted, giving her a worried look. Riku reared back and laughed. Suddenly the noise stopped and a split second later his shoe came up and connected with the girl's jaw. Rikku fell back against Roxas's shoulder. The blonde sneered at the older boy and swung his right leg over his left, kicking him in the side of his knee. Riku let out a surprised yelp as his leg buckled. He steadied himself quickly, backing away a step.

"Oh Roxxy…" Riku cooed. He rubbed his knee a bit before straightening. "Bad move."

***

Axel's eyes slid open to a view of brown hair mixed with red. He registered that the brown hair was Sora but it took him a moment to realize the red wasn't his own but Reno's. The shorter redhead's arm was around Sora and draped onto Axel's waist. A small feminine hand was on top of the arm as well and Axel felt Paine pressed up against him from behind. Everyone was sleeping soundly. He blinked a few times and lifted his head to look around for a clock. He couldn't find one in the immediate radius of his vision and sighed. He laid his face against the pillow again and tried not to let his mind wander. Paine's hand slid away and she smoothed it up and down Axel's back.

"Good afternoon," she said quietly. He raised a brow and she backed away, letting him turn over as peacefully as he could to face her. She gave him a small smile.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked in a whisper.

"Seph called us and brought us up to speed."

"Oh," Axel felt a tightness in his chest as he thought about the current circumstances. He wondered where Roxas was. "Any progress?" The dark eyed girl shrugged lightly.

"We were sent in here basically right when we got here," she dug in her pocket and pulled out her phone, checking the time. "Which was about four hours ago," she continued. "It's almost two."

"That late already?" Axel groaned and rubbed his face with his palms. His stomach let out an upset gurgle and he sighed. Paine watched him carefully. "I need to figure out what's going on," he said.

"Sora doesn't like girls, right?" she asked. Axel nodded. "Then I should probably go with you so I don't traumatize him." They shifted around and quietly eased themselves out of the open side of the bed and headed into the house. Everyone was still in Sephiroth's office. Cloud could be seen on the monitors still but was not where he was supposed to be. He was in his bed and looked to be sleeping. Tifa was at the computer though, typing away with the headset on. Sephiroth was spread out on his couch with his back to the pair when they entered. He was asleep as well. Demyx, Marluxia, and Zexion were sitting on the floor together playing cards. Coffee mugs and dishes littered the room, giving Axel the impression they had been working for a while. The alert trio turned to them. Marluxia and Demyx waved. Zexion stood and headed to the desk pulling close to the microphone.

"Axel's awake," he said quietly and Tifa raised a brow, smiling. The redhead waved hello to everyone and went to the slate-haired man's side.

"Hi Axel sweetie," she whispered. He tried to smile at her but the tightness in his chest made it difficult. "The police couldn't find anything at the smoothie place but got a fingerprint off of Roxas' Blackberry. We sent them some surveillance videos and they're trying to track down a man who was obviously watching the house for quite some time. Namine is out of holding and we can't find her and they won't say who paid her bail but we have a feeling that it was either Xemnas or Riku. Cloud was able to convince the investigators to put in a missing persons report earlier than they normally would but we haven't had any other clues as to where anyone is. You now know what we do. There's little progress and we can kind of form a timeline but it's difficult. Do you have any ideas?"

"Did you check with the place they ate at? Do they have some cameras or something?" he asked. Tifa shook her head.

"Unless you can give us the name of the place, we don't have much," she said. Axel shook his head.

"I don't know where it was. Xigbar was the only one up to speed."

"What about the picture?" Paine interrupted. Axel turned to her. "The one of Roxas' parents that Rikku sent to Reno? It may have something in the background they could use." The redhead blinked and turned to Tifa again.

"Or better yet, could you find where Rikku's cell phone signal came from like you did for Roxas'? It looked like they were getting ready to leave when she took it." Tifa nodded and took off the headset and went to go wake up Cloud. Axel turned to Paine and grabbed the girl, hugging her to his chest. "Thank you for being so damn smart," he said. She hugged him lightly.

"You're welcome," she said. On the monitors, they watched the dark haired woman smack the blonde on the leg and heard him grumble angrily at her. Apparently Cloud was a heavy sleeper because the woman had to sit on him and shake him to get him to be anywhere near coherent. He said a few more angry incomprehensible sentences before hooking his arm around her waist and pulling her down onto the bed and off screen with him. She laughed and kicked at him, slowly pushing him backwards until he tipped over the edge of the mattress and landed on the floor. Axel raised a brow at the scene. The blonde lay still for a few minutes before groggily pushing himself upright, rubbing his face. Tifa stepped over him calmly and walked past the computer, a door was heard closing. Zexion sighed and shook his head, heading back to the card game. A few moments later, Cloud was able to drag himself to plop back into his seat. He put the headset on.

"Sorry," he muttered. Axel shrugged. "What am I doing?" Axel explained again and gave him Rikku's phone number. Cloud nodded and started to type. The redhead sat in Sephiroth's chair and Paine sat on his knee. He had the urge to pull her back to lie against his chest like he normally did with Roxas, but he stopped himself. Paine wasn't Roxas. He rubbed his eyebrows between his thumb and index finger and took a deep breath. He tugged on a piece of his hair to drag his mind away with the images of all the things he knew Riku could be doing to the blonde. The longer he tried to distract himself, the harder it was for him to ignore his anger. Tifa reappeared and handed Cloud another mug of coffee. "It says that the last message she sent at around nine last night came from a parking garage attached to '_L'endroit De Nourriture_' a French place a short ways away from one of Clear Meadows' hotels." He clicked a few more buttons. "I'll have to check but it may be one of the restaurants that's owned by Roxas' company, actually. If that's the case, things just got _way_ easier," he said. Everyone in the room, save for the sleeping Sephiroth perked up immediately. "Okay wait, hang on…" the blonde drifted and squinted at his screen. "I haven't done this in a while, this is Sephiroth's thing," he said. He grumbled. "You know what? Just wake him up; I don't remember how to do this." Paine stepped off of Axel's knee and walked calmly to the sleeping man. She nudged him gently and stroked his hair. Eventually he stirred and blinked, squinting against the light.

"We need you," she said quietly and he took a deep breath through his nose before pushing himself up and rubbing his eyes. Axel got up from his seat and the man sat heavily.

"Do the surveillance thing again with… this place," Cloud said and clicked his mouse some before a box appeared on Sephiroth's side with the address and security code. The silvery man yawned and stared to lazily poke at his keyboard. After waking up a moment he settled back and started to type at his normal pace.

"Which ones? They have over twenty cameras in the restaurant and a dozen in the parking garage," he asked. Cloud sighed. "I'll start with the ones by the main entrance. When did they leave for dinner?"

"Like sevenish?" Axel said. Sephiroth brought up four different cameras all showing the main entrance in several different angles. They watched a series of people come through the door and the man stopped it quickly when Roxas showed up with Xigbar. They checked in, and left again, coming back with Rikku and Roxas' parents shortly thereafter. Paine watched Axel closely from the couch. The redhead stared at the monitors intently with narrowed and determined eyes. Sephiroth tapped away quickly at the keys trying to weed through unnecessary cameras and keep to the ones that followed the group through the dining hall and back into a private area. Xigbar sat outside and started to read a magazine while the dinner progressed. There wasn't a camera in the private seating area. Waiters came in and out calmly, showing there wasn't any sign of anything strange happening inside.

"Wow, that's a lot of wine," Cloud remarked. Sephiroth smirked. Axel's face remained serious. Demyx, Marluxia and Zexion joined Paine on the couch, watching the redhead more than the video. Sephiroth sped things up and the two hour dinner passed and they watched Roxas and Xigbar lug the blonde's parents out of the room and back into the parking garage. Cloud was rubbing his face and shaking his head at the sight.

"They really _were_ plastered," Axel said. "The picture Rikku sent us had nothing on this."

"How awful would it be if I leaked this to the media?" Sephiroth asked with an amused smile.

"It's probably why Roxas chose there to eat to begin with, because the reporters would be kept at bay for serious if the boss man was showing up, yeah?" Demyx said. "That, and he likes French food." Zexion rolled his eyes. Demyx glared at him. "What? I get paid to know this crap," he huffed. Sephiroth chuckled and pulled up the string of cameras that led out to where the limousine was parked. After throwing the parents into the back, Roxas and Rikku followed in calmly.

Xigbar stood outside the driver's door and lit up a cigarette. He took out his Blackberry and fiddled with it. A small projectile stuck into his leg and he jumped, pulling the little thing out and looking it over in his hand. He scanned the lot quickly before dropping his Blackberry on the ground and falling forward limply, crashing into cement.

"Holy shit," Axel said.

"Was that a dart? Like a tranquilizer dart?" Cloud asked with furrowed brows. "Like someone would use on an elephant?" Sephiroth shrugged and watched. A nearby plain looking car jiggled as the trunk opened fully. The figure in white appeared again, pulling Xigbar away by his arm, behind a couple of cars. He reentered the vehicle, pulling the trunk door low and nearly twenty minutes passed without any activity. The door to the back of the limo opened again and Roxas stepped out. A lump formed in Axel's throat as he fought the urge to yell at the screen and tell the blonde to get back in.

Roxas looked around in front of him and to the sides, scanning the cars and no doubt looking for Xigbar. He pulled out his Blackberry and started to poke at it when Rikku poked her head out of the open door. The blonde turned and talked to her for a moment, keeping a steady hand on her shoulder but she brushed him off and stepped out anyway. Roxas shook his head and held the device up to his ear. Rikku spun around and walked around the back of the limo. Roxas watched her closely before he startled and lunged forward, yelling to her before she stopped abruptly and pulled a dart out of her leg. She fell to the ground quickly. Roxas didn't have any time to react as another dart flew into his shoulder and he looked at it before falling aside as well, Blackberry sliding away a few feet from his hand. Axel's eyes were wide.

The figure in white hopped out of the trunk of his car again and walked calmly to the blondes, looking them over. He pocketed Roxas' phone and did the same with Xigbar's. He walked around the limousine and stuck his face in the open door to the back and shook his head before closing it. He lifted Rikku easily off the concrete and dragged her to the car, tossing her in the trunk. He did the same with Roxas, dumping him on top of the girl and slammed the trunk shut. The car jiggled again as another, much larger figure in white got out of the front seat and the two men talked briefly before the smaller one opened the back door and brought out a case. The larger man went back where the smaller had dragged Xigbar off to and hefted his unconscious form back towards the limousine. He opened the back door again and shoved the man inside, closing it again.

The smaller man was clicking something together in the case while the larger took the driver's seat and started the car. He held a long tube in his hand and closed the case, replacing it in the back seat of their vehicle. He walked to the limousine calmly and opened the door again. While he was doing this, the car pulled out of the parking space and idled, waiting. The smaller man twisted the tube and tossed it inside the limo, slamming the door quickly and jogging back to the plain car. He leapt into the front seat and they sped away, leaving tire tracks.

"No…" Cloud said quietly as he watched with wide, horrified eyes as a few inactive seconds passed. The back door flung open again and a frantic Larxene stumbled halfway out before the car jostled violently and the windows blew outward in a small explosion. The cars around them shook with the vibration and many of their lights started to flash, showing their alarms going off. The cabin belched smoke out of the shattered windows and the open door. Larxene lay motionless with her lower half still inside the cabin.

Everything was silent as the entire group watched the smoke spill out of the vehicle. It took over ten minutes before people started to show, frantically screaming at one another and whipping out cell phones, jabbering into the receivers like they weren't the only ones talking to the fire department. Sephiroth stopped the feed. They all watched the frozen scene for another long moment before Demyx let out a wail and buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed. Axel's mouth was open in disbelief, as was Marluxia's and Paine's. Zexion was snapped out of his stunned state and pulled Demyx into his lap, laying his cheek against his back and looking away from the screen. Cloud slammed his fist onto his desk and threw his headset off, storming away from his monitors.

"I'll send it to the police," Sephiroth said quietly and started typing.

"No one is at the house to answer the phones," Axel said, his eyes fixed on the screen still. "They may have been trying to tell us for hours and no one's been there to answer. Oh god…" he said and rubbed his face.

***

Roxas grunted as his front was slammed into the wall. Rikku groaned uncomfortably from her position on the floor and tried to pick herself up again. Riku had the boy standing and pinned into the opposite corner by way of pressing his entire body against the blonde's back. Being the height that he was and having his hands kept behind his back already, Roxas could feel the beginnings of an erection slowly spread itself through the front of the older boy's pants underneath his fingers. His heart sped up as Riku leaned his face close behind his ear and let out a breathy laugh into his neck that made the blonde's skin crawl.

"Don't fight too much now, I might like it," he said as his throat let out a low chuckle. Riku's hands felt up the sides of the blonde's torso, smoothing down the wrinkles of his shirt and moving lower.

Roxas was used to feeling Riku's hands on him in ways he didn't want them to be and he was able to ignore them enough to let himself think. He closed his hands into fists and used his hips to push backwards against the taller boy. Riku grunted as he moved back and few inches and Roxas was able to move forward swiftly before jutting backwards again, effectively punching the other in the groin. Riku yelped and staggered backwards, holding himself. It wasn't as much force as Roxas would have liked but it was enough to deter the other boy long enough for him to slip away and move to the other side of the cell near the girl. Riku quickly recovered from his ball tap and stalked towards the blonde again. Rikku had managed to sit up again and ducked behind Roxas' legs.

"So you think you're tough shit now that you have a girl to protect, Roxxy?" Riku growled. He made a grab for the blonde again but Roxas stooped low under his arms. His calf screamed against the strain but he ducked his head thrust himself forward again, head butting Riku in the ribs. The other boy coughed loudly and fell backwards onto his butt holding his chest, trying to catch the breath that was knocked from him. The blonde struggled to stand again and staggered to him. Taking a note from his sister, he hoped his shoes were hard enough as he raised his left leg and brought it down on the other boy's groin, putting all his weight into the motion. Riku screamed and grabbed onto the limb with suddenly weak fingers. Roxas easily pulled his leg away and readjusted himself before bringing his foot down a second time. Riku's scream caught in his throat and he squeaked before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he slumped to the side. Roxas fell to his knees, teeth grit against the pain in his calf.

"I'm going to hate myself in the morning," he panted. He inched his way to the other boy's side and felt his pockets. No keys. "Damn. That was a waste," he said quietly. Rikku gaped at him.

"That was awesome Roxas!" she squeaked and grinned. There was a cut on her chin she didn't seem to notice. The blonde shrugged and used his good leg to pull himself over to her.

"Too bad he's going to wake up and beat the hell out of me," he said calmly. "I have terrible legs, if you didn't already know. My left one is dead at this point. Now, if I had use of my arms it would be a different story, I would've just punched him until he stopped breathing."

"Yeah? I can't fight for shit."

"Neither can Riku. He's too spoiled. He hires people to do his dirty work, so he can't really take very good care of himself in tight situations. The only reason I haven't been able to beat him before is because he always managed to either subdue my arms or have someone else help him. But I've been working with my personal trainer since the last time and I was able to muster that much out of my leg, but I don't have much left for another round. Sorry."

"No problem! Don't worry about it. He's starting to bleed, so maybe he'll head off to the hospital when he wakes up and you can recover. You can borrow my heels and make it more of a stab rather than a stomp next time," she giggled. Roxas leaned over and looked at the front of Riku's pants. A blotch of red was starting to form, just like she had said. After a few moments of silence, the silver haired boy started to stir. Roxas tensed and Rikku leaned on him.

"Fuck…" Riku groaned and sat up, rubbing his head. He slowly remembered he was supposed to be angry at someone and his eyes narrowed on the blonde, brows coming together in a scowl. He made to clamber up quickly and hissed through his teeth, grabbing himself as pain shot through his whole being. That's when he noticed the blood. He yelped and frenzied eyes flicked to Roxas and back to his groin. "What did you do to me?!" he yelled.

"With any luck? I moved your testicles elsewhere," the blonde said simply. Riku gaped at him and tried to stand. He didn't get very far before he collapsed to the floor again and was reduced to crawling his way to the door. He let out a pained, high pitched yelp as he pulled the door open and made his way down a short hallway. He dragged himself through another door and around the corner.

"You know what I just realized?" Rikku asked.

"What's that?"

"The door doesn't lock from the inside."

"It doesn't matter; we're still chained to the walls."

"I know but I feel sort of stupid for not realizing it before. He left everything open, too. I can see a couch."

"Really?" Roxas squinted, leaning around the girl and peering down the hall. There was an arm of a lather sofa as well as a lamp through the furthest door. "Huh. Weird. Either they're not taking this seriously or there's something else we don't know. He seems too lax about this. Too confident."

"You think so? Or do you just think he's stupid?"

"Well yes I think he's stupid but not stupid enough to leave his victims with an escape route. There's something more out there that we can't see, I'm sure." There was a beeping noise of a phone dialing and a brief silence. It was in the distance and barely audible but the conversation made Roxas pale and swell with sudden fear.

"Dad?" Riku strained, "how close are you? I need your help."

"Oh shit," the blonde said and Rikku turned to look at him. She startled at the obvious dread in his expression.

"Dad is bad?" she asked.

"Dad is very bad," he answered.

"How bad?"

"You have no idea and I would like to keep it that way."

"Oh come on, if he's as stupid as that guy was, we'll be _fine_."

"You… you don't understand, Rikku. I can't even explain how awful this just turned. You'll just have to take my word for it and when he gets here, _don't_ piss him off. He'll already be angry with me, but just sit in the corner and don't say anything. Please. I'm begging you," he pleaded with her as his speaking sped up and he became more nervous. Rikku's eyes widened.

"Okay Roxas, okay. Calm down. I promise," she said soothingly. The blonde nodded and leaned back against the wall trying to slow his heart. "Can you try to undo my ankles?" she asked and shifted so her feet were near him. He turned and searched the tape blindly for the end, it was in an odd place and it took him a moment but he was able to get a fingernail under the adhesive and start to pull. Rikku pulled her legs in the opposite direction and the tape unraveled slowly. "Thanks," she sighed when she was free. Roxas balled the tape up and set it aside. Rikku stretched her legs wide and smiled. "I feel so much better."

"Good. But you may want to keep those closed so you don't invite anyone unwanted in," he warned. She shrugged. He sighed and shook his head. Another short wait later and there was a loud bang as another door flew inward and into the wall.

"Riku!" Xemnas called. Roxas' face paled further and his eyes widened.

"Don't touch him sir," another voice said calmly. "I'll take him to the hospital; you stay here with our guests."

"What's wrong with him?" Namine said. Roxas gasped.

"Namine!" he called before he could stop himself.

"Roxxy?" she asked and her shadow moved across the far wall. She appeared in the doorway and tilted her head confusedly at him, coming forward. She looked around the cell and eyed the two sitting together. "What're you doing here?" she asked.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Cupcake paid my bail."

"Hi! I'm Rikku!" the blonde girl chirped happily. Namine raised a brow at her.

"Where are we?" Roxas asked.

"Xemnas' house," his sister replied. "Where's your fag buddy? I thought he was like your lap dog or something, never left your side."

"Not here, thankfully. You have to help us."

"Like you helped me? Sure! I can leave you here to rot."

"Namine…"

"No Roxas, I'm done. I'm finished with your bullshit," she huffed, mocking him.

"Namine," Xemnas interjected. He slowly appeared behind her as he came forward. He snaked an arm around her bulbous waist and laid a kiss on her temple. She giggled.

"Yes, Cupcake?"

"Be an angel and leave me to deal with our guests," he purred into her ear with a smile. She grinned.

"Sure. I'll wait for you in bed," she turned on her heel and walked around him, down the hall, and closed the far door behind her.

"You're really tall," Rikku said and the man narrowed his eyes on her, face turning cold and stone-like. She didn't seem deterred.

"Xemnas," Roxas said, attracting his gaze away from the girl. "What do you want from me?"


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Sora and Reno screamed in surprise and rose out of their nap instantly as Axel leapt onto them. The taller redhead grabbed onto the brunette's shirt and started to shake him angrily.

"Where does Xemnas live?!" he yelled into the smaller boy's face. Sora was too stunned to answer him. Reno grabbed onto Axel's arms and pried him off of the brunette.

"What the fuck is your problem, Ax?!" he yelled back and shoved the taller redhead away.

"My problem? My _problem_?! My problem is that Roxas and Rikku were taken by a homicidal maniac that just blew up Roxas' parents and Xigbar! _That's _my fucking problem! We need to find him, _now_!" Axel screamed. Reno startled and Sora's eyes flew wide.

"Blew up?" the smaller boy asked. "When? Just now?"

"Last night sometime between when they left for dinner and when we left the house to find a phone," Axel said angrily. "Where does Xemnas live?" he repeated.

"I told Roxxy this, I guess he didn't pass the memo," Sora sighed. "Xemnas doesn't live in one giant house like Roxxy does. He has a bunch of apartments all over the city that he hops between. I can only remember so many and I doubt I've actually been to all of them. So I have no idea." The brunette rubbed his face and itched his scalp, "Xiggy is gone? Really?"

"He has to be he took a bomb to the face with Luxord. Larxene is probably the only one that could've survived it because she was halfway out of the limo when it blew. We don't even know what hospital they're in. We need to get back to the house and see if anyone tried to call while we were gone, and we need addresses for Seph and Cloud to check while we're gone," the redhead's blood was still singing in his veins with his anger and adrenaline but he took a few deep breaths to control himself enough to speak. "If you can give them anything, do it now because we have to go. There's some police officers here too that probably want a word with you."

"Oh yuck, police," Sora huffed. Reno rubbed his eyes and stood, heading for the door. He nearly ran into Paine who was heading in but she decided to follow him instead of going in into the room. "How do you know all this if you guys don't even know what hospital they're in?"

"Surveillance video."

"Oh," Sora sighed as he tried to let the new information sink in. It didn't seem real yet. "How's Cloud?"

"Angry. But he's three hours away and we need him where he is otherwise he'd probably be on his way by this point. Once we find Roxas, he and Tifa are going to come stay with us again," Axel said and settled back onto the mattress. He took another deep breath and felt his nerves calm some but was still seething. Sora nodded.

"I'll go give them what I can. Do we even know if Xemnas is home or not?" the brunette scooted off the bed.

"No, but he needs to come home sometime, right? Namine is with him, I'm sure. Her bail was paid last night and you can probably guess by whom. She can't travel much with a baby so he has to still be in the city somewhere. If he's keeping her alive that is. Let's just hope he's human enough to do that much."

"I doubt he is," Sora said and left. Axel sat quietly by himself a moment, staring into the comforter. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, thinking. He didn't know how to process so much chaos at once. Too much was happening too fast and he couldn't keep up. He and Tifa came up with a crude timeline with approximate times of the significant events that happened so far and even then, it was hard for him to concentrate. He ran the list through his head again and chewed his lip.

**7:00p.m. **– Roxas and Rikku go to dinner with Roxas' parents and Xigbar

**9:00 p.m.** – Rikku sends Reno the picture of Roxas' parents

**9:30 p.m.** – Explosion; Roxas and Rikku taken

**11:00 p.m.** – Namine's bail is paid

**12:00 a.m.** – Reno and Paine leave the manor; White figure seen; Axel and Sora leave

**1:30 a.m.** – Call to Lexaeus and Sephiroth

It probably wasn't as accurate as they needed it to be but it was enough for them to go on at this point. They only had times involving the phone calls and the timestamps on the surveillance footages so there were some obvious gaps in time but not much else seemed to be relevant. They knew Namine left holding at around eleven though, and that gave Xemnas enough time to get wherever he needed to be. Axel's mind flooded with images of the last time this happened and squeezed his eyes shut when he started to remember Roxas' motionless body taken advantage of. It hurt more now than it did then, and it only reinforced his rage against Riku. He let out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding and fought the urge to destroy something. He almost wished he was right there with the blonde rather than being on the outside this time. At least then he could settle his mind and assure himself that Roxas was still alive.

***

Demyx was the first through the front door of the manor. Followed closely by Zexion, Marluxia, Axel and Sora. Marluxia went off to find Alabaster while the remaining four ran through the entryway and down the hall into Roxas' study. Demyx sloppily fell into the chair and fiddled with the buttons on the telephone. There was a loud beep before the voice mail started to filter through the speaker and into the room.

"_This is Captain Ross of the HBPD calling on behalf of Larxene Meadows_," a very stern male voice said. He continued on to say that there was an accident and that they needed to contact him for the full details and told them the hospital where she was staying at. The message was received a little before one in the morning.

"That's the one on sixth," Demyx said in reference to the hospital's address. "I know where that is. It's close to the restaurant."

"Xemnas has an apartment near there," Sora said. Axel looked to him but wasn't really paying attention. He was zoning out and staring blankly in whatever direction he was facing.

_If we had just stayed in the house a little longer, we would've found out about this sooner_, he thought. Then he had another thought, one he could bring himself to voice, "if he's calling on behalf of Larxene then that must mean she's alive?"

"Possibly," Zexion said.

"That'd be such a relief," Demyx sighed and put a hand on his chest. He spun the chair around and felt underneath the desk for the hidden door that held a tiny set of keys. Axel raised a brow and watched him roll away and stick a key into a drawer on the other side of the desk and shuffle around. The drawer was filled with checkbooks and important looking documents that Axel had never seen before. Demyx produced Axel's Blackberry and car keys and handed them to him. He closed everything up and hid the keys away again. "Don't tell Roxas I let you see that," he said. Axel nodded.

"How come Axel gets a phone and I don't?" Sora huffed.

"Because you lost your phone privilege before you had one," Demyx said with a smile. Axel couldn't help but feel a little egotistical and smiled some as well. They all headed towards the entryway of the house again. Marluxia was out front with a plastic bag and a leash, letting Alabaster romp around in the snow.

"I'll take the Lincoln back to Sephiroth's and meet you guys where?" he asked. Sephiroth had said it was alright to bring the dog to his home for the time being. Pearl would be fine for a while by herself with her food and water refilled and Axel's hermit crabs didn't need much maintenance. Alabaster, on the other hand, needed a puppy sitter.

"Hospital on sixth," Zexion said calmly. Marluxia nodded.

"Be safe you guys," he said.

***

Xemnas took a handful of Roxas' shirt and hoisted him up off the floor. The blonde fought the urge to kick as he knew it would only make his problems worse if he resisted. Rikku watched with worried eyes but took the boy's advice and didn't make a move. The man grinned wickedly and shoved Roxas backwards into the wall, bouncing his head off the concrete. The blonde yelped and blinked against the sudden dots in his vision.

"What do I want from you?" he asked quietly. "I want everything, dear Roxas. Once your mother proved to be useless, I moved onto your sister, and she's useless as well. Riku's prerogative was to befriend you and have you join us willingly. Did you not notice that everything changed once you were around thirteen? When you started to change and reject us? Your grandfather died and you somehow were to inherit everything yet you turned inward and became a recluse, shutting us out. So we have been reduced to forcing it from you. It's your own fault really," he held the blonde to the wall with one arm and pet his hair affectionately with his free hand. "If you had stayed willing, you wouldn't be in this mess."

"Blame your son, he's the one who couldn't control himself," Roxas strained. "I've been blaming him for a long time now."

"Riku has done nothing wrong," Xemnas said, narrowing his eyes and furrowing his brows together into a glower. Rikku used her legs to pull herself quietly across the room and managed to slip her heels on again. She inched herself back to her spot before either male noticed.

"You would think that, wouldn't you? Denial is normal Xemnas, but you don't have to pretend he's the golden child anymore. He's an adult, you can admit he's a complete genetic failure," the blonde spat. "Maybe he is your divine punishment and why you can't father another son." Xemnas inhaled deeply through his nose as his eyes widened in fury. His free arm pulled back as he readied a fist. Before he could move any further, Rikku shot the bottom of her foot out and kicked the man in the calf, puncturing his leg with her stiletto. Xemnas let out a yell and dropped Roxas. The blonde didn't have much room to fall and managed to use the wall and Xemnas for support and stay standing. Both blondes skittered away to the opposite end of the room. Xemnas' leg started to bleed and he touched it gently, sucking a breath in through his clenched teeth.

"Fucking woman!" he bellowed and grabbed onto Rikku's length of chain and pulled her towards him. She yelped as she slid across the floor again. Roxas swore under his breath and tired to go after her but he couldn't get his own limbs to move properly and he fell to his knees. Xemnas pulled the girl upright by her hair and swung her around to hold her against the wall like he had Roxas. He grabbed onto her throat and held her steady as he used his free hand to pull on her dress. After a few tugs the fabric tore easily and the girl gasped against his hand, kicking her legs as it fluttered to the floor. Roxas tried his legs again and staggered around in one place, trying to make his left one work so he could hobble to her. Xemnas leaned close to Rikku and let go of her throat, holding her shoulders. She gasped for air and coughed into his face. He glared at her as her saliva splattered onto his cheeks. "You're not very much of lady," he said calmly and craned his neck to wipe his face on his bicep. "No matter, women are still only good for one thing. Tell me girl, how many offspring are you willing to give me?" After a few more minutes of coughing and catching her breath, she settled back against the wall with a smug face.

"Not many," she said simply. Roxas put most of his weight on his right leg so he could stand. He tested his left a few times and decided he couldn't use it very much anymore without seriously hurting himself. Xemnas laughed at the girl.

"Oh come now, I'm not all _that_ bad am I?"

"You seem like a pretty good asshole to me, but I'm okay with no babies right now," she said and smiled cutely at him. Xemnas gave her an annoyed expression. Rikku giggled and opened her legs wide before swinging them forward and wrapping them around his chest. "You're welcome to try though," she said. Roxas stopped trying to run to her rescue and watched the scene with utter confusion. Xemnas let go of her shoulders and she held steady, using his torso like a fireman's pole and sliding down until she could settle around his waist comfortably. She leaned her face onto his chest. Xemnas raised a brow at her, her previous attack on him completely lost to this new tactic. "I have an idea," she said and looked up at him with a smile.

"What's that?"

"Let's go play together."

"I don't bed with whores."

"Good thing I'm not a whore then," she said calmly and moved her face around to pull a button from his shirt between her teeth. She chewed the strings behind it and pulled back, snapping it off and spitting it to the side. She weaved her tongue in between the folds of the shirt and licked him. Roxas saw Xemans' face ease from contempt to a look of hunger as he watched the girl. Rikku giggled and wiggled her hips against him, teasing him. He grabbed her jaw and pulled her face up to his. He looked her over with incredulous eyes, contemplating. "Don't be afraid of me, I don't bite unless you say it's okay," she whispered.

They stayed in that position for a long quiet moment before Xemnas stuck a hand in his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. He pressed Rikku to his chest again before flipping through them and finding the right one. He held her arms out and reached to unlock her padlock and her shackles fell to the floor with a loud clatter. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him. He quickly shoved the keys in his pocket again and stalked out of the cell. Roxas hobbled to the entrance and looked down the hall. Rikku gave him a thumbs up behind Xemnas' back before they rounded the corner together.

Roxas was speechless. He stood in the doorway with his mouth open in shock at how easy it was for her to distract him. He didn't understand women and he sure as hell didn't understand Xemnas, so he couldn't put the logic together. There was a commotion further in the home and the blonde could hear his sister yelling angrily. After a door slammed, there was a long silence before Namine's shadow could be seen on the far wall again and she appeared in the hall, coming towards the cell.

"What the fuck did your friend do?" she asked with furrowed brows. Roxas shrugged.

"I have no idea but I'm glad she did it," he said calmly and hopped his way into a corner to sit.

"Xemnas just burst into the bedroom with Rikku in her underwear strapped to his chest like he belonged to her or something. Then he kicked me out!" she yelled. "I want to know what you told her to do this instant!"

"Nothing. She did it on her own."

"What a whore," Namine muttered. Roxas laughed.

"_You're _calling Rikku a whore? Fantastic, the irony is too great," he said. After he calmed his laughter, he sighed. His sister glared at him for a while before sitting on the floor with him and crossing her arms in a huff. The sight of Namine being rejected was enough to brighten the blonde's mood. That, coupled with the fact that he didn't have to worry about Xemnas or Riku for at least a couple of hours was a relief. The longer he could stay awake and lucid without being beaten to hell, the better off he was. "So… how was prison?" he asked calmly. Namine's attention flicked to him briefly before going back to the hallway.

"It wasn't prison, but it was boring and it sucked. How was getting raped?"

"I wasn't raped like you probably thought I was, but it was pretty much the same. It was boring and I had to suck."

"Oh yeah? Well I was just basically tossed aside for a whore with green eyes and a bigger butt than me."

"Well at least _you_ weren't tranquilized like a bear."

"At least _you_ didn't sit in a disgusting jumpsuit for three weeks."

"At least _you_ aren't shackled to a wall."

"At least _you_ aren't pregnant."

"…you win," Roxas said quietly. Namine smirked. Their little spat was almost refreshing to the boy, it reminded him that Namine was still his sister and could still act like it in the smallest of ways. "Have you thought of a name yet?" he asked after a long pause. She shook her head.

"I want to see what she looks like before I decide."

"I see. That's actually not a bad idea."

"Did you have an idea for one or something?"

"I have no idea, Nami. She's not mine," he said softly, gauging her reaction. He hadn't called her 'Nami' in years. He knew she was in an emotionally vulnerable place otherwise she wouldn't be sitting with him so calmly. It was her defense mechanism whenever she was upset, to find someone to sit and talk with. It had changed though, when she started to hang around Riku more and subsequently, his father. The information he had about her now led him to believe that the drugs are what changed his sister so drastically, the catalyst being Riku because he was her supplier.

His mind slid back to the memory of himself asking Axel if he could sleep with him after the redhead had attacked Riku. He remembered telling him that he couldn't sleep with his sister anymore for comfort because she was the antagonist now. She was different. But not so different that she stopped being his sister. Even in a situation like this, where she was technically in control, she was his sister enough to not beat him while he was down and take her anger out on him. She could yell, but she wouldn't get violent unless she was on something. Detoxing again apparently did wonders for her resolve and made her seem more like the Namine she once was. She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.

"What am I doing, Roxxy?" she asked in a tired tone.

"Being delusional."

"I suppose, but part of me wants it to be real."

"Are you happy with him?" he asked. She turned to him and looked at him with sad eyes; she took a moment to think about it.

"I can't tell. Whenever he's around, I get so excited for whatever reason but he doesn't exactly treat me well, does he?"

"No, he really doesn't."

"I never really wanted him in the first place, you know," her gaze turned to the floor.

"I know, you wanted Riku."

"Yeah…" she trailed. She took a deep breath before letting out a yawn.

"What time is it?"

"I don't know. I'll go check," she said and pushed herself up and hobbled back and fourth to gain her footing before heading down the hall again. She peered around the corner before coming back and taking a seat next to Roxas and leaning against the wall. "Three in the morning."

"It seems later than that."

"Well I've only been out since a little after eleven. Xemnas took me to dinner and we went to a late movie before heading back here. I guess since I was out doing stuff it doesn't seem all that late."

"I see. I wonder if mother and father made it home okay."

"Were you with them or something?"

"We went to dinner with Rikku for Valentines Day and we were leaving when Rikku and I were taken. Mother and father were completely shitfaced and Xigbar went missing somewhere so I don't know what became of them."

"Oh. I would offer to call them but Xemnas would kill me."

"Don't you mean 'cupcake'?"

"Yeah, whatever his name is," she muttered. Roxas laughed. They sat together in silence for a long while. The blonde shifted around in his spot and slouched to get comfortable. He yawned. His sister looked him over before standing again and walking down the hall and around the corner. He quirked a brow and waited a moment before she returned with a pillow. She propped it up in the corner for him and he smiled.

"Thank you," he said and settled back against it. She gave him a small smile in return and turned to leave again.

"Goodnight Roxxy," she said quietly and turned off the light before closing the door behind her.

***

Roxas awoke when the door flew open again and banged into the wall. He startled and sat up quickly despite his stiff muscles and joints protesting. The light flicked on and he squeezed his eyes closed against the glaring fluorescent bulbs. Rikku squeaked and there was a clattering of chains before Roxas tired to open his eyes again. He blinked against the light and his eyes calmed. Xemnas was reattaching the girl to the room. She was completely naked and half of her body was covered in hickeys in addition to a few other new bruises. Xemnas paid Roxas no heed and once he was finished latching her into place, he slammed the door behind him.

"What happened?" Roxas asked confusedly, averting his eyes against her nudity.

"We fell asleep for like an hour and he woke up when the phone rang, something about his son, and he got really angry and tossed me back in here. There's a huge guy sitting with some guy with blue hair out there with your sister. She slept on the couch, apparently," she said and went to sit with the blonde.

"What time is it?" he asked.

"Like eight in the morning."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah," she said and stretched her legs out. The only part of the girl in his line of vision was her foot. "Where'd you get the pillow?"

"Namine."

"Weird."

"She _is_ my sister, you know. She may be terrible but she's not heartless." Roxas' stomach let out a loud rumble and he sighed. Rikku giggled.

"I'm hungry too."

"At least you got to sleep in a bed," he said and rolled his neck and shoulders. He yawned. He may have slept a considerable amount of time but it was the worst sleep he had ever gotten in his life. He found the situation a little ironic in that, he had taken the place of Axel this time around. Where he was the one who was chained up constantly and Rikku was the one who got to go off and have sex and sleep in a bed. Granted, Rikku's sex was willing and probably more enjoyable for her but the idea was still there.

"Yeah. I guess. Xemnas is a pretty terrible lay," she blurted. Roxas snorted.

"Okay I don't need anymore details than that, thanks."

"Don't like gossip?"

"Not like that, no."

"Oh, well we could gossip about Axel instead if that'd suit you better."

"You know more about him than I do."

"That's true. I bet you didn't know he has a birthmark on the inside of his left ass cheek," she said and giggled. Roxas snorted again and laughed. The mirth quickly faded.

"He has to be so worried," he said quietly. His humor from the previous evening had died away in his sleep leaving him with a heavy weight on his mind. He tested his left leg and winced. It hurt, and he doubted that it would work very well if they somehow managed to escape.

"Everyone probably is," Rikku added. Roxas nodded.

"I hope so." Rikku shifted around and managed to squeeze behind him, leaning against his back. She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Sorry, I'm kind of cold," she said and he shrugged.

"He didn't hurt you too bad, did he?"

"No, I'm fine."

"I'll take your word for it."

***

Several hours later the door opened again and Namine poked her head in slowly. Rikku had fallen asleep on Roxas' pillow and the blonde had been left to himself. His sister sneaked in and sat next to him quietly. He quirked a brow at her but wasn't in much of a mood for conversation. Namine herself didn't seem too thrilled to see him either and she sighed.

"I need to get you guys out," she whispered. Roxas looked at her confusedly. "Xemnas and Saïx are with Riku at the hospital but I just caught sight of the news," she squeaked as her eyes started to water. "There was a car bombing, Roxxy, and… it was the limo. _Our_ limo." She sniffled and tears dripped out of her eyes. Roxas looked at her like she had sprouted six heads.

"What are you telling me?" he asked. Namine squeaked.

"They said…" she choked, "they said there were three people inside." Roxas paled. She sucked in a breath before letting out a sob and holding her face in her hands. Rikku startled at the noise and groaned against the pillow. "They had surveillance footage that showed you guys being taken!" Namine wailed. "Mom and dad and Xigbar were inside!" she sobbed, "oh my god, Roxxy." She grabbed his shoulder and pressed her forehead into it. Rikku sat up with wide eyes. Roxas' face blanked and he closed his eyes, letting his head hang. The realization hadn't settled in quite yet and he wasn't ready to fall to pieces before confirming everything, but his sister's reaction gave him enough reason to believe she wasn't lying. His mind tried to fog itself over but he shook his head to clear it again.

"Call Cloud," he said quietly. Namine took several shuddering breaths to stop her hysterics.

"I can't. Lexaeus is out there, he has the keys too," she said, wiping her eyes and nose. She sniffled. Roxas sighed. "I'm scared to be here anymore, Roxxy. I don't know what Xemnas will try to do to us now."

"_Now_ do you understand why we've tried to keep you away from him?" the blonde asked with anger in his voice. He was upset that it took something so extreme to slap his sister into the correct mindset. The price of her sanity was too high for him to even comprehend. She nodded.

"I'm done here, Roxxy. I'm going to go see what I can do, maybe if I make Lexaeus some coffee he'll have to use the bathroom eventually and I can call the police," she offered. Roxas nodded.

"Do what you can. I'm not going anywhere."

With one last sniffle, she gave her brother a hug, and stood, wiping her eyes. She left quietly and Rikku shifted around to look into Roxas' face. He looked at her and sighed. The evidence of her romp with Xemnas was obvious at this point and large purple bruises were blossoming on her arms and neck. She didn't _look_ okay, but she _said_ she was and Roxas wasn't in any mood to argue with her. She gave him a concerned face but didn't say anything and watched him for a while. When the boy didn't speak she settled back into her spot and leaned her head on his shoulder. He laid his head on hers and heaved a sigh.

***

Namine handed Lexaeus his second cup of coffee and sat next to him, watching the news. Her heart sped up as they sat together, so calm, like nothing had happened. It was obvious to the girl that he and Saïx were the culprits and she could only hope that the rest of the household was smart enough to turn on the television and see the video as well. The reporters were calling the incident a terrorist attack, and claiming that Clear Meadows owed their group some sort of debt and that's why Roxas was taken. They had gotten the license plate number for the car but at this point, it would be long gone. Namine looked at the clock. Two-thirty. How huge was the man's urinary tract that he could inhale two cups of coffee and not have to pee? She sighed and settled back.

"Didn't get much sleep?" she asked quietly. He shrugged and stretched his arm along the back of the couch behind her. They sat quietly together for another long moment. "So what was wrong with Riku?" she asked.

"Your brother stomped on his nads," the man blurted and took another gulp of the liquid. Namine raised a brow.

"Really?"

"Yeah, he had to have surgery and everything. Poor kid. He'll be fine though, don't you worry."

Another length of silence. Lexaeus wasn't much of a talker and Namine didn't really enjoy spending time with him. He was simply hired for muscle whenever Xemnas needed it; at least Saïx had a specialty and proved to be semi-useful. The girl stared into the carpeting and wiggled her toes in her shoes idly, waiting through the awkwardness of the situation. Lexaeus had been involved in the car bombing, that much was certain but he didn't have a huge role in it. Saix was the one to blame for most of the work. Xemnas was to blame for everything else because he hired the blue haired freak in the first place. She needed to get Roxas and Rikku out of there before she had nothing left to live for. Her guardian angel must have been smiling on her today because Lexaeus handed her his empty coffee mug and walked further into the apartment. He closed the bathroom door behind him.

Namine quickly grabbed the cordless phone off of the side table and ran as swiftly as she could back into the cell with Roxas and Rikku. The two blondes startled and the girl frantically dialed 911. Once the other line picked up she panted in her panic.

"I'm being held against my will with my brother and a friend!" she squeaked into the phone. She gave the dispatcher an address but before she could get much further in her description the door banged inward and she dropped the device as Lexaeus' hands grabbed her around her neck. Rikku pushed herself up from her spot and started kicking at the giant man's shins. Roxas pulled himself along the floor and used his good leg to kick the phone into the corner away from all the activity and hoped it was still on. Lexaeus swung a giant fist outward and Rikku yelped as she flew to the side and onto the concrete. Namine kicked her feet and struggled against the hand around her throat. Roxas tried to push himself up to stand but he couldn't pull his left leg together enough to finish and he flopped onto the floor again, gritting his teeth against the pain.

Lexaeus laughed at the boy on the floor and his feeble attempts to stand. Namine gasped and coughed against the man's grip still as he walked to Roxas calmly and used his foot to push the boy's face into the floor. The sole of his enormous boot hid the side of the blonde's face completely as his cheek was crushed into the concrete. Roxas screamed, making the man laugh harder. He stepped off and threw Namine into the wall and she fell onto her stomach with a sickening plop. Roxas' eyes flew wide as he saw both girls lying motionless across from him. Lexaeus tromped to the telephone and picked it up, click it off, and turned it back on again. He quickly dialed and held the device up to his ear.

"Boss?" he asked, "Namine called the police, should I just shoot them now?" He listened for a good while before nodding. "Fine. Suit yourself. I'll meet you there," he said before hanging up the phone and dropping it on the floor again. He walked back to Roxas and leered down at him before giving him a swift kick in the ribs, knocking the wind from him and leaving the boy shaking to catch his breath again. He left the door open when he left. Roxas coughed against the sudden shock in his body tried to readjust to the pain and let his lungs expand fully again.

***

Axel, Sora, Demyx and Zexion sat in the lobby of the hospital, waiting for Marluxia. There was no point to them being there anymore but to call the man and tell him not to bother showing seemed a little too heartless. Larxene had passed away shortly after the call to the manor was placed. Luxord and Xigbar were already at the city morgue. Axel and Zexion were both staring into the carpeting with dark expressions and Sora and Demyx were holding onto each other each other and sobbing. Larxene never woke up from her trauma in the limo and died of internal bleeding before much could be done for her. They couldn't get anymore information from anywhere else and it felt like Xemnas had won, yet again. Marluxia appeared with a hopeful face that quickly fell away when he found the four-some in the lobby. He opened his mouth to speak but Axel held up a silent hand and shook his head. There was nothing to talk about.

The redhead stood and rubbed Sora's back, trying to pry him off of Demyx enough to get him to stand. Zexion did the same with his partner and the entire sobbing mess fell apart, collapsing onto the floor together. Marluxia took Sora's arm and pulled him some before hefting the boy up by his armpits and holding him like a toddler. The brunette clung to his shirt and wailed into his chest. Without Sora to weigh him down, Demyx was able to let himself be pulled along by Zexion and the group left the building without speaking any further. By the time they reached the cars, Sora had finished crying and hiccupped against Marluxia's shirt, sniffling his dripping nose. Demyx was still puffy, but under control. Axel sat in the driver's seat of his car and laid his forehead against the steering wheel.

There was nothing further that they could do. Larxene was their last hope in gaining important information and she had already died over twelve hours prior. Demyx and Zexion slid into the back while Marluxia headed to the Lincoln with Sora. The drive back to Sephiroth's was silent. Morale was low and everyone had an overwhelming feeling of loss mixed with a generous helping of hopelessness. The redhead desperately wished he knew what apartment complex that Xemnas lived in near the hospital because he would've stormed in, just to see if Roxas was there. He didn't have that luxury, he didn't have the ability, and he didn't even have the legal right to either. He had nothing, and it felt awful.

Alabaster was excited to see everyone though, and he pranced around Sephiroth's kitchen happily, being as hairy and as cute as he could be in order to attract attention. The redhead tossed his keys on the table and sat in a chair heavily. The animal was right next to him, wagging his tail and waiting for the impending pet. Reno, Paine and Sephiroth came into the kitchen behind Zexion and Demyx. The silence and downtrodden expressions were enough of a message for them and no one said anything. Marluxia and Sora joined them shortly thereafter to sit in the kitchen and stare at the group in equal silence.

"So now what?" Sephiroth was the first to ask. No one had an answer for him. He fixed himself another cup of coffee before clomping back into his office, Alabaster following close behind him. Reno and Paine waited a few minutes longer before following in after him. There was indistinct conversation in the background before an obvious phone ringing on Cloud's side of the computer. Axel decided to go in and see what's what. Reno and Paine were watching the monitors from the couch and Sephiroth was in his chair. Tifa was sitting in Cloud's chair through the monitors and the blonde was pacing back and fourth behind her in the distance on his cell phone.

"Thank you so much, yes. Yes. I'll make sure someone's there right away. Thank you again, sir," Cloud said and ran back to the computer and stole the headset off of Tifa's head. He sat on her lap versus waiting for her to move out of the way and Axel raised a brow at him. "Get back to the hospital you guys. They found them," he ordered.

Axel's eyes widened before he took off back into the kitchen and snatched his keys from the table and nearly fell over his feet trying to get to the door.


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N**: Happy 40th everyone! Sorry it's kind of boring. D:

Chapter 40

"Oh no you don't!" Rikku squealed and shoved her hands up against Axel's chest before he could storm into Roxas' hospital room. She seemingly came out of nowhere and surprised the redhead in the doorway, shoving him back a few feet. He blinked in surprise and quickly halted her pushing by way of grabbing onto the doorframe and bowing outward into the hallway. She huffed and stood straight. His pained and anxious expression did nothing to deter the girl and make her get out of the way so he could rush inside and assess the damage.

"Rikku…" he said quietly and pulled the girl into a tight hug. "Are you okay?" he asked, holding her shoulders at arms length and looking at her bruises.

"I'm fine. But you can't bum rush Roxas right now, mainly because he's not here but also because he's having problems with his ribs," she huffed. She left the doorway and went to sit in her own bed. It took Axel a moment to process what she was saying and that the blondes were sharing a room. He stepped inside and looked around expecting someone else to leap out of nowhere and stop him.

"Well where is he?"

"Getting x-rays," she said simply. "He should be back in a little bit. Namine had to have an emergency cesarean though. _She's_ the one everyone should worry about."

Axel furrowed his brows. He was expecting to go in and throw his arms around the blonde and make sure everything was fine right away, not be stopped and told a bunch of things he didn't want to hear. There was a group of running footsteps coming down the hall, and Sora flew past the door. There was a screech emitted from the soles of his shoes when he realized he missed the entrance and a flop when he fell onto the ground trying to turn too fast. Even with all his clumsy problems, he still managed to get through the door before Reno, Paine, Demyx, Zexion, and Marluxia. The mob of people ran inside and had the same reaction that Axel had. Looking around with a saddened sigh and furrowed brows. Reno and Paine though, rushed to Rikku and threw themselves on the girl.

"Rikku!" they cried in tandem and squeezed the girl until she squeaked. Axel didn't say anything further and padded his way across the room and sat heavily on Roxas' bed. He ran stressed hands through his hair and chewed on a fingernail in order to distract himself. Rikku giggled under her friends.

"Hi guys," she said and coughed. "I need to breathe." They released her and instantly crawled into bed with her. Reno immediately opened the back of her hospital gown and started to feel her skin, checking to make sure everything was in place.

"You have so many bruises…" he said sadly, Paine leaned over to see. "Are you okay?"

"Yep. They're superficial," Rikku offered. "I had my first rape kit done though _that_ was fun; the police have Xemnas' DNA profile now," she twittered. Reno sighed and pulled the girl to him, hugging her from behind. Paine hugged her from the side and laid her head on her shoulder. "Aww…" Rikku cooed happily and rubbed Reno's hands through the gown and rubbed her cheek in Paine's hair.

"Where's Nami?" Demyx asked.

"Surgery," Rikku said. The sandy blonde's eyes flew wide and he dashed out the door. Zexion followed him. Sora's eyes were unfocused as he took a seat; Marluxia did as well and patted the brunette's hair. Axel kicked off his shoes and pulled himself into Roxas' bed fully and squished the pillow into his face. Roxas either hadn't been to his bed yet or wasn't in it very long because the pillow didn't smell like him like Axel had hoped it would. The redhead sighed. He wasn't angry, just worried. At least he knew that his blonde counterpart was alive and able bodied enough to not be in the intensive care unit, but he still feared the emotional turmoil that was going to befall them.

"What happened?" Axel asked quietly. Reno situated himself against the back of the bed and Rikku settled against him with Paine. The blonde girl replayed the entire scenario for Axel, including a few minor details that he didn't care to know about Xemnas' scrotum and other unmentionables. By the end of her tale, he was sitting upright again and his blood had started to boil anew. He was already planning Riku's death right along side of Xemnas' and his hired hand's. The police had more evidence now against Xemnas than they ever had before due to Rikku's contribution. They would no doubt tie him to the other rapes and murders he's committed in the past including Axel's mother. The hunt would be on for him, and that meant a whole lot of waiting which wasn't very satisfying for Axel. He wanted to catch them himself.

"Can a baby survive if it's three months premature?" Sora asked grimly. Rikku nodded.

"She's going to be staying in the hospital until she's fully developed, if she survives that is. I haven't seen Namine since they took her out on the stretcher. We had to stay longer than her because the police officers had to get bolt cutters to free us. I went off to the police station for my rape kit and met up with Roxas here for about two minutes before he was taken to get x-rays. His leg was hurting him a lot and that huge guy gave him a good kick in the ribs but he was able to breathe so they just wanted to check," she said. Axel pushed off the bed and started to pace.

"Looks like we'll have to go into overtime with working on the nursery," Marluxia said. Sora nodded.

"I'll help," he offered. The rose colored man smiled.

"Oh my," a feminine voice said from the doorway. Everyone turned to look at the sound. The woman standing there had short light brown hair with a long charm dangling from one side and a kind and decidedly Asian looking face. She had large almond shaped eyes, one blue, and one green. When she turned to look at everyone, Axel noticed that she had a colorfully wrapped tail of hair that sprang from the back of her head that went almost to her knees. "I wasn't expecting so many people to be in here. My name is Yuna and I'm here for Roxas," she said simply and gave everyone a smile. She had a clipboard in her hands as well as several pens tucked into her light blue suit jacket.

"He's getting x-rays," Rikku repeated for the six millionth time. Yuna nodded.

"Do you all mind if I wait with you?" she asked.

"What did you need from him?" Marluxia asked.

"I'm his grief counselor. His brother Cloud called me." She stepped inside and walked to Axel and smiled.

"You must be Axel, you're very distinct," she said. He raised a brow at her.

"Yeah, I am. What can I do for you?"

"Nothing, I was just told about you and decided to say hello."

"Hi," the redhead deadpanned and went to take a seat by the window. He wasn't entirely thrilled that Cloud had told her specifically about him but he couldn't do anything to change it. Yuna looked around and decided to take the only remaining available seat near Axel. She put her clipboard on her lap and folded her hands neatly. She seemed nice enough, but the redhead wasn't willing to hand Roxas over to her so easily. He wanted to help the blonde with this process as well. Maybe he could pawn Demyx off on her, he seemed upset enough. "You're here only for Roxas right? What about Namine?"

"Once Cloud can get into town I am to deal with all of them," she said. "It's a family thing, I suppose. That's the way he wants to do it, anyway so I have to comply. Why? Did you need someone as well?"

"I'll be fine. I already have a guy," he said. She nodded.

"Good. I'm not sure how everyone is related here outside of the Meadows family but I can see already that you're all upset. If you need me, feel free to ask me anything, I can always call someone else to come in and help if you don't feel comfortable with just me," she said calmly. Everyone exchanged looks and some nodded.

"Can I ask what Cloud told you about me?" Axel asked. Yuna nodded.

"He simply told me you and Roxas were very close. I don't know any additional details, and I don't need to," she smiled. He nodded and reclined in his seat, staring up at the ceiling. They all sat together and made idle chit chat with the woman. They explained their relationships to Roxas, and told her about Zexion and Demyx who were still away. She started to take notes on her clipboard and nodded in all the right places. Axel could see that she was making a sort of flow chart with everyone's names and relationships. Marluxia, Demyx and Zexion were off on their own bubble labeled as 'employees,' Rikku, Paine, Reno and Sora were under 'friends,' Cloud and Namine were under 'family,' and Axel was off by himself with no title. He thought that was funny but didn't say anything because he felt he probably shouldn't have been looking at it in the first place. There was a clattering sound as a nurse pushed a wheelchair over the threshold and into the room.

"Roxas!" Axel yelped and dove off of his seat. Roxas put a hand up to stop him from pouncing on him and the nurse calmly wheeled him to the bed. She helped him stand and he was able to do most of the work to get himself in and seated. Axel fidgeted. Once she was finished setting him in place and making sure he didn't need anything, he took his time to spread the covers over himself daintily. Axel furrowed his brows at the obvious attempt to tease him but he resisted the urge to smack him for doing so. Roxas shuffled back and situated himself more than necessary and folded his hands in his lap neatly before looking up at the awaiting redhead. He took a breath.

"Okay." He said simply and Axel folded his arms and huffed.

"I'm not sure I want to anymore," he grumbled. Sora didn't wait though and squealed, launching himself out of his chair. Axel grabbed the brunette by his shirt and pulled him away from the bed before he could make much progress. He cleared the remaining distance to the side of the bed and looked the blonde over. There weren't many outward signs of abuse, aside from the beginnings of a bruise on his cheek and the rawness of his wrists. Roxas looked up at him calmly.

"I don't get a hug?" he asked.

"I tried to but you stopped me," Axel huffed and crossed his arms. In reality, he wanted to jump on him and smother the hurt from him, but if Roxas wanted to play hard to get, he could oblige. Rikku started to giggle. Sora appeared next to Axel and reached forward to touch his friend. Axel smacked his hand away. "Oh no, he doesn't get any niceties until he stops being a jerk," the redhead barked. Roxas scoffed and gave him a wry smile.

"Well excuse me for not wanting to have my ribcage crushed anymore than it already is," he said smugly. Axel imitated his smug look and stood his ground. Yuna watched from the sidelines with curious eyes. Marluxia stood and went to the opposite side of the bed. Without waiting for Axel's protests, he stuck his hands under the blonde's covers and started to feel along Roxas' left leg. The smaller boy winced when the man kneaded along his calf. Marluxia sighed and shook his head, taking his hands away and standing straight again.

"You really need to stop screwing yourself," he chastised.

"I would like to, honestly," Roxas said. "But for now, I'm stuck like this. I would appreciate it if you all would vacate for a moment," he requested and everyone exchanged looks. Yuna especially looked confused. "Now, please," he said in more of a stern tone. Reno retied the back of Rikku's hospital gown and the trio was the first to leave. Sora gave Roxas a wide eyed look before huffing and following them out. The blonde's hand shot out and grabbed onto Axel's pinky finger so he couldn't leave. Marluxia got the hint and ushered Yuna out, closing the door behind them. The leftover pair shared a moment of silence before Roxas could bring himself to speak. "I can't hug you right now," he said quietly. "But I would like a kiss."

"You're not going to push me away?" Axel said arrogantly. Roxas' expression drooped and he shook his head.

"I guess it wasn't the right time for a joke," he said. Axel gave him a glare.

"No, it really wasn't."

"I'm sorry."

"I forgive you," the redhead said and sat on the edge of the bed and draped and arm over the blonde's lap. He took a moment to use his free hand and run his fingers over Roxas' face gently, feeling for anything wrong. Aside from a small lump on the boy's cheek everything seemed fine. The dark and unfocused look in his eyes though, that was a problem. Axel cupped his face in one hand and Roxas closed his eyes, leaning into the touch. When they opened again the blonde was surprised to find Axel's eyes had filled with tears. His face was calm enough but his eyes were watery and heart wrenchingly sad.

"Axel…" Roxas whispered. The redhead looked away.

"You have no idea what this did to me," he said, almost angrily. The only other time Roxas had seen Axel cry was when his mother had died. This was different though, at least with a death everything is finite; there is sorrow and acceptance but not much else. With a situation like this there's a certain amount of chaos that ensues. A person can be ripped through the seven stages of grief at lightning speed before they have to reset their mindset again when everything turns out okay. Granted, the situation wasn't perfect but at the very least Axel hadn't lost _everything_. Roxas was here, a little rough around the edges, but he was alive and safe again. Emotions were a tough thing for the blonde to understand and he was confused with Axel's tears.

"…I'm sorry, I didn't exactly plan to go out of my way to hurt you," Roxas apologized even if he couldn't understand why he felt the need to. Axel shook his head and gave him a weak smile.

"It's not your fault; don't even think for a second that it is. I'm just having a hard time adjusting… a lot has happened." Roxas nodded in agreement. The redhead wiped his eyes and let out a breathy, embarrassed laugh. "I _am_ happy to see you though."

"I missed you too," the blonde said and gave him a smile. Axel reciprocated his motion with a lopsided grin and pressed their foreheads together. His vision blurred into a sea of sapphires outlined in copper eyelashes and he took a deep breath to process that it was _real_, and it was okay. He replaced his hand on the blonde's cheek and pulled him forward the last inch to press their lips together. Immediately, the tension from the last two days dripped away and they both let out a relieved sigh.

***

Two hours had passed and Demyx pressed his forehead against the incubator, staring at the tiny life inside. The little form of a child was absolutely fascinating to him. The baby girl couldn't have been much bigger than a Barbie doll and probably weighed less. She looked like an alien to him, growing inside her plastic bubble with countless tubes and wires protruding from her papery thin skin. She had to have oxygen so he couldn't reach in and touch her just yet but he was sure she would fall apart if he so much as breathed on her. Namine hadn't seen her yet, and he wondered when she would feel up to it. She hadn't given the baby a name yet, and Demyx was doubtful she would any time soon. The sandy blonde sighed and looked up to Zexion who was watching from over his shoulder. The other smiled and Demyx smiled back.

***

"It doesn't seem real yet," Roxas said simply. "I can't even begin to think about it, I still feel like I can go home and they'll still be there." Yuna nodded.

"It'll take some time. Have you decided on if you want to go into the city to identify them?" Roxas shook his head.

"I saw the video, it's enough for me."

"Well your brother will be here before the day is over, I'm sure he'll be a good pillar of support for you. If you feel you need something more, call me. Otherwise I will see you all tomorrow. Did they say when your sister will be released?"

"They haven't said anything. She actually has a court date in several days, I'm thinking of dropping the charges on her though. She's done enough."

"I'm not about to give you legal advice but you do what you feel is right," the woman smiled. Roxas nodded.

"Thank you. We'll see you tomorrow," he said and Yuna nodded before leaving quietly. Axel rejoined the blonde once he noticed her leaving. Rikku was sitting in her bed the entire time, pretending to read a magazine and not be nosy. Paine and Reno filtered in after the taller redhead. Axel pulled a seat next to Roxas' bed and sat.

"I would've thought Sora would be back by now," Axel said. Roxas shrugged.

"I have no idea. Did you see the baby? I haven't been down there yet."

"She's _tiny_."

"You'll have that. Being premature and having a crack addict mother doesn't exactly give you best start in life," he said flatly. Axel nodded.

"Yeah. When are you allowed to go home?"

"Tomorrow. Rikku too, though I think she likes it here," he said and looked to the girl in the other bed. She giggled.

"I like the attention," she said as Reno and Paine cuddled up to her again.

"What do I need to do for you when we get home?" Axel asked and Roxas shrugged.

"Not jump on me, really. My ribs are bruised, not broken. I'll just take some over the counter stuff and try not to bend and lift too much and I should be fine in a couple weeks. My leg is useable but incredibly sore so I may just hobble around for a few days until I can get my footing. Other than that, I'm fine."

"Physically," Axel added. Roxas nodded.

"Right. I need to get home and process everything for a while before I can move forward with what I need to do," he said. Axel folded his arms on the side of the bed and laid his head in his arms. The blonde started combing his fingers through his hair and the redhead sighed peacefully. "I wish to see Namine but she won't have any visitors right now." Axel shrugged.

"She'll _have_ to see you eventually. It's not like you guys can ignore each other anymore."

"True."

"You know what I just remembered?"

"What's that?"

"Saïx was my composition professor… what are they going to do with my class?"

"That's a very good question. I have no idea."

"They'll probably just give you a new professor for the rest of the semester," Reno said. "That's what they did in high school when Mrs. Sheryll got in that car accident and died, remember?" Axel shrugged.

"I guess so," he said. "I know that private colleges give you an automatic 'A' in some cases if like your roommate commits suicide in your dorm or something. That'd be nice," he said with a small smile.

"I would think they'd have to, that's a little traumatizing," Rikku said with a disturbed face.

"It'd be awful if he just showed up to work like 'hey guys don't mind me, I totally didn't do anything terrible,' you know?" Reno said sarcastically.

"If that happens just watch how fast I get arrested for murder," Axel said grumpily. "Pencils make great projectiles with the right rubber bands." Reno laughed.

"I wouldn't blame you. I'd be a character witness for you at your trial," he added and grinned.

"I appreciate that."

"I wonder if kidnapping is qualified as being traumatizing enough for an automatic 'A'," Roxas said curiously. "Then again, that'd be taking advantage of the situation if I can make up the work easily then I'd rather just do that." Axel shrugged.

"You're a better student than I am then, I'd totally try to play that card."

"I guess I'm just a fool for a decent education then, hm?"

"Possibly," the redhead said and yawned. The blonde carefully yawned as well. Sora came in with wide and curious eyes, followed by Demyx, Zexion, and Marluxia.

"Well?" Roxas asked.

"I want to hold her," Demyx said and furrowed his brows. Zexion snorted and smirked before heading to take a seat. Marluxia joined him.

"Did you need us to do anything?" the rose colored man asked. Roxas looked thoughtful for a moment; he kept combing his fingers through crimson tendrils as he contemplated. Axel closed his eyes and readjusted his position, getting ready to drift off.

"If you can set the room up for Tifa and Cloud again and prepare dinner for everyone when they need to leave, that's all I can think of. That Yuna woman will be coming home with us tomorrow and she may stay for a meal after talking to Cloud, Namine and me so maybe prepare for that. Oh, and take care of the animals too," he said. Marluxia nodded and stood from his chair.

"I'll head back then, there's nothing else for me here and I feel like I'm getting in the way," he said with a smile. He looked to Demyx and Zexion, "coming?" The pair exchanged looks and shrugged at each other.

"I suppose we should. We'll get everything set up for you, Roxas. Don't worry," Demyx said and gave him a small smile. Roxas smiled back.

"Thank you. Don't stay too late everyone, you all need sleep too."

"Zexxy and I may just spend the night if that's okay," the sandy blonde said. Roxas nodded.

"That's fine. Marluxia, you're welcome to stay as well," he offered and the other man nodded.

"I'll do that. See you at home," he said and the trio turned to leave. Sora had a thoughtful face as he sat in his chair. The brunette hadn't said much since he had gotten there and it was a little unsettling.

"Something wrong?" Roxas asked him and the other boy looked up.

"I was just thinking…" he said and Axel snorted a laugh but didn't say anything. Sora glared at him. "If you were in Xemnas' apartment near here, and you sent Riku to the hospital, then which hospital did he go to? Is he here?"

"If he is, then what are you going to do?" Roxas asked. Axel picked his head up and gave the brunette a hard look. The blonde kept his hand in his partner's hair, to hold him steady if he decided to attack Sora for whatever reason. The brunette shrugged.

"I dunno, but I am curious. If Xemnas is here visiting him, we should call the police don't you think?" he asked. Axel raised a brow.

"You have a point, maybe we should ask," the redhead said.

***

Riku was in fact, three halls over in his own recovery room. It was disturbing to think that he was so close and they hadn't even realized it until just now. Axel's idea was to grab an operating tray full of scalpels and rush in and start slicing. Sora insisted they see if Xemnas was visiting, then call the police if he was. The brunette stuck his head into Riku's room. Silence. Axel folded his arms and tapped his foot impatiently. Sora stood upright again and sighed.

"He's sleeping," he said quietly. "No one else is in there."

"So? That makes things easy," Axel said and made to enter. Sora grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"That's illegal, Axel," the brunette said sternly. The redhead scoffed at him.

"Right, because rape earns you a halo and wings."

"I know, I know, but to rush in and start beating him would be stupid. It'd just create more problems for Roxxy," he warned and the redhead sighed.

"Using Roxas as a bargaining chip isn't fair," he huffed. "Fine. I won't beat him. But I _am_ going in there." He wrenched his arm out of Sora's hands and stomped inside. The brunette entered after him and the redhead jabbed his finger into Riku's shoulder, prodding him awake. The other boy startled.

"What the fuck are _you_ doing in here?" he blurted. Axel smiled.

"Just saying hello," he said smugly. Sora shoved the redhead aside.

"Riku…" he said faded and the silver haired boy quirked a brow at him.

"Don't tell me you expect me to be happy to see you," he spat. Sora blinked and looked away. "Get away from me. Both of you, before I call someone." Riku crossed his arms over his chest and gave them both hard eyes.

"Where's your dad?" Axel asked, ignoring his demand.

"Not here," Riku said. "Leave."

"Riku," Sora said, "you don't miss me?"

"Not in the least, get out."

"But… but _I_ miss you," the brunette said sadly and gave the older boy large watery puppy-dog eyes.

"Fuck off Sora. Like hell I'd take you back after what you did to me. Run back to Roxas now, before he catches you with my scent."

"What did _I _do?"

"Nothing. That's the problem. You could've given me something on him but you didn't. Instead you decided to do things the easy way and let him support you like a helpless animal that can't even fend for himself let alone sleep in his own bed. You're a disgrace. I don't even know why I wasted my time with you in the first place. There was no benefit to having you around other than a decent lay," Riku spat. "You came in with nothing, and you gave nothing. You didn't work towards anything of worth and it was my father's generosity that kept you and your despicable family alive. You should be grateful that I didn't try to kill you sooner, appare—" Axel's fist collided with the side of the boy's face, knocking the words from him. Sora startled and looked at the redhead. Riku yelped and held his face.

"Generosity, my ass," the redhead spat. "Let's see how generous he is when he leaves you here to run with his tail between his legs. Has he even come to visit you? I wouldn't, the police will be after him and he won't dare show his face for a long while. So you can take your 'generosity' and shove it up your ass because you're finished." Axel went to the front of the boy's bed and took up his chart, flipping through the pages. "Blunt force trauma to the testicles, huh?" he asked. "Good luck with that, by the way. Let's go Sora, there's nothing here for you anymore," he said and flung the clipboard into Riku's lap, digging the board into his groin. The boy let out a strangled scream as the pair left quickly and headed back towards Roxas' room.

"That was totally uncalled for," Sora huffed. "But it was awesome, thanks."

"Yeah, well I wanted to do more but I didn't have enough time," he said calmly looking over his shoulder as a nurse ran into Riku's room. "Hope he has enough pride to keep his mouth shut." Sora giggled.

"I'm sure he'll say something. I doubt anything will come of it though. What you said about his dad is probably right. If that's the case then Riku really _is_ finished. He can't take care of himself even if his life depended on it." They rounded the corner together and passed Namine's room. Her door was closed and she was sleeping when they looked through the window. Roxas was sitting in his bed still, holding a spoonful of jello in front of his face. His eyes flicked to the pair when they came in but his eyes went back to the glob of red in front of him.

"You know what's really terrible?" he asked as Axel took his seat next to him.

"What's that?" the redhead asked. Sora sat in another nearby chair.

"Jello with shit in it," Roxas said and dumped the spoonful back onto his tray. Axel laughed.

"I seem to remember you telling me this before."

"I may have." Roxas shoved his tray away and carefully slouched himself down into his bed. He yawned.

"We should get going soon," Axel said, "visiting hours are almost over." The blonde nodded. Rikku was asleep in her own bed; Reno and Paine were dozing with her as well. "I don't really want to, though," he admitted. Roxas smiled.

"Well I'll be home tomorrow; Namine has to stay for at least a week though so we'll probably be coming back here anyway at least for a little bit. I've decided to drop the charges against her so she doesn't have to go to court," the blonde said and yawned again with a wince. Axel shrugged.

"Whatever you want to do, it doesn't matter to me," he said. He had to remember to thank the girl later. If it wasn't for her, Roxas would probably be worse off, if not dead by this point. "Come on Sora," Axel said and stood. He leaned over and gave Roxas a kiss on his forehead. "I'll come get you tomorrow," he said and the blonde nodded with a small smile. Axel went to Rikku's bed and nudged Reno and Paine.

"Can I have a piggy-back ride?" Sora asked with wide, sparkling eyes as he gave the taller redhead his cutest face. Axel snorted.

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Just for five minutes?"

"No." Reno and Paine were awake enough to move around and get out of the bed without disturbing Rikku. The blonde girl settled back against her pillows peacefully and the pair laced hands and headed for the door. Axel and Sora gave Roxas a light wave before leaving. The brunette persisted when they were in the hall.

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please? Look how cute I am!" he squealed.

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I don't want to, Sora. Shut _up_."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?!"

"…Fine."

***

"Hey Rikku?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know what's really terrible?"

"Jello with shit in it?"

"Oatmeal with shit in it," Roxas huffed and upended a spoonful of runny oats back into his bowl. Rikku giggled. He flicked the raisins around in it with his utensil and decided that he had had enough and pushed the slop aside. He stomach grumbled unhappily and he sighed and took a piece of toast to chew on. Even for toast, it was bland and tasteless. There was a knock on the door and Cloud stuck his head around the corner to peer inside the room. Roxas waved as the piece of cardboard food hung from his mouth. Rikku waved as well. The older blonde came in and gave his brother a relieved half-smile.

"How're you feeling?" he asked. "Both of you," he added. Tifa entered and smiled at them both.

"Sore, but I'll be fine," Roxas said.

"I'm good," Rikku said and fished around her cereal bowl for something edible. Cloud quirked a brow at Roxas.

"Have you seen your eye?" he asked. The smaller blonde's eyebrows rose and he looked to Rikku who shrugged.

"No, why? Is there something wrong?" he asked. Tifa dug around in her purse for a moment and produced a small makeup mirror. She handed it off to Roxas who looked at his cheek. He startled as apparently the tiny beginnings of a bruise from yesterday had spread into a full blown black eye overnight. "Whoa," he said and touched his face. "That wasn't there before." He handed the mirror back.

"I didn't want to say anything," Rikku said and giggled. "Axel is going to _freak out_."

"Let's just hope he doesn't get irrational," the blonde sighed. There was a tense moment of silence throughout the room. "Did you get settled alright?" he asked and Cloud nodded. "Alright, well what did you want to do now?" he asked and his brother shrugged. Such a fine line of communication they were having.

"Yuna is supposed to be here at around ten," Tifa said looking at her watch, "we've still got an hour until then and when you're finished with her, you both can leave."

"Have you two stopped in to see Namine?" Roxas asked. Cloud shook his head.

"I suppose we should," Tifa said and the taller blonde nodded, making his way to the door. The woman followed him, "be back in a bit," she said and they left. Rikku giggled and looked to Roxas with blushing cheeks.

"Your brother is hot," she said. "That's who that was right? Cloud?"

"Yes, that was him. He's not exactly the life of the party, is he?" Rikku continued to giggle.

"No, but that's okay. He doesn't need to talk to be sexy," she said. Roxas rolled his eyes and took another bite of toast. He set it aside and pushed his tray away again. "That lady he had with him was pretty too. She was almost like his translator, it was creepy."

"That's probably why she stays around him so much. So she can talk for him."

"You think?"

"That's what I assume, anyway. They've been together for years. I'm curious as to why he hasn't asked her to marry him."

"He's probably too shy," she squeaked, "that's so cute!"

"If you say so," Roxas said and sighed. They sat together and made small talk about Cloud and Tifa for another twenty minutes. Another knock on the door sounded and Axel looked in and gasped at Roxas.

"What happened to your eye!?" he asked with his mouth agape. Rikku started to giggle at the pair as Axel crossed the room and took the blonde's face in his hands gently and ran his thumb over the bruise. Roxas pulled his hands off of him.

"Nothing. The bruise just got worse is all, don't flip out please," he ordered and Axel furrowed his brows together.

"I didn't… I wasn't going to," he insisted. Rikku continued her giggle fit. The bruises on her had gotten worse as well; the purple standing out clearly against her pale skin, but she didn't seem too bothered by them.

"You're so predictable sometimes," she said and the redhead gave her a glare. Roxas smiled a little and took Axel's hand, pulling him. The redhead sat on the bed.

"Yeah well you're pretty beat up too," he said and the girl shrugged.

"They only hurt when I poke them, and I don't intend to do that very often," she said.

"Mine are worse," Roxas said. Axel turned his attention back to the boy.

"Which ones?" he asked. Roxas reached behind himself and pulled the top tie of his hospital gown loose and slid the papery fabric down, revealing an enormous expanse of purple and red across his ribcage. Rikku gasped and Axel's eyes grew large.

"Holy shit, Roxas," the girl said. "Doesn't that hurt?"

"It does," he said. "But only when I breathe deep and if I bend too much." Axel reached forward and brushed his fingertips across the blonde's skin with furrowed brows. Roxas moved his hand away gently and replaced his gown over himself and settled back. "It wasn't so bad yesterday but I noticed it had gotten worse this morning," the blonde said. "So no hugging for a little bit, okay?" he asked the redhead and he nodded.

"Okay," Axel said quietly and sat up straight, wringing his hands in his lap with a worried look. Roxas touched his arm and the redhead gave him his hand. The blonde gave it a squeeze and a small smile.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry."


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

"You know who's really hot?"

"Sora, I swear to god if you tell me my brother is hot one more time, I'm going to stab you."

"Well he is," Axel interjected and looked away innocently before he could garner the blonde's death glare. Sora giggled. "Tifa is too," he added and the brunette stopped his joyful noise in favor of a gag and exaggerated sticking out of the tongue. It was Roxas' turn for a light chuckle.

Roxas was home from the hospital. Axel had taken Rikku, Paine, and Reno home and the remaining three were sitting together in the blonde's bedroom. Demyx, Marluxia, and Zexion were buzzing around the house trying to keep distracted with work while everyone was waiting on Cloud and Tifa to get home so things could get down to business. Most of the housework was caught up and the three staff members tried to focus on the nursery. In time though, the tears would roll and things would have to be boxed up, in favor of a more memory suppressing décor in the newly emptied bedrooms.

"Can I have my books yet?" Roxas asked. Axel shook his head.

"No. No you can't."

"I need to catch up."

"You need to rest."

"That _is_ rest."

"No, that's studying."

"Same thing."

"Stop being boring, Roxxy," Sora whined. "All you want to do is _study_."

"And all _you_ do is whine."

"…Touché," the brunette said with a raised eyebrow and pursed lips.

"Snack time!" Demyx squealed as he kicked the door inward. All three boys let out a surprised scream as the sandy blonde skipped merrily in the room. He set a tray of finger foods down on Roxas' side table with a loud clatter and he started to pile numerous tidbits on a small plate, humming a nonsensical tune loudly with a wide smile. He shoved the plate into Roxas' hands and the blonde gaped at him and his odd behavior.

"Demyx, I'm not really—"

"Shut the fuck up and eat," Demyx sang happily through his teeth and gave the same treatment to Sora and Axel. Once the tray was void of foodstuffs he spun around with a flourish and skipped out of the room. The trio looked at each other with confused faces.

"What the _hell_ was that? I haven't had 'snack time' since I was seven," Roxas asked and stuck a piece of cheese in his mouth. "I'm not entirely sure I liked his tone, either."

"Demmy is upset, Roxxy," Sora said and set his plate on the bed. "He forces himself to be overly happy when he's really hurting."

"I was going to suggest psychosis," Axel said and picked through his plate.

"How is it _I'm_ the one who doesn't know that?" the blonde asked with a huff. "I never understand what's going on with people."

"Emotionally stunted," Sora said and nibbled a cracker. Roxas furrowed his brows.

"Am not," he insisted. Axel snorted and chewed on a baby carrot. Roxas gave him a glare. "What was that for? You agree?"

"Maybe just a little," the redhead said. Sora nodded. The blonde crossed his arms.

"I don't believe you two," he said. They both shrugged.

"We can't tell you what or how to feel Roxxy, but you're terrible at getting the hint," the brunette said and Axel gave him a sideways glare and a nudge with his foot, warning him.

"What hint?" the blonde asked.

"Exactly," Sora said. Roxas' brows pulled together further and he ran a hand through his hair. He popped another piece of cheese in his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. Was there something he was missing? "Anyway," the brunette continued, "I think I want to eat in front of the TV, I'll be in the theater if you guys need me." Sora stood and took his plate before leaving. Axel smirked, catching the subtlety behind his motion. Roxas was thoroughly confused.

"Am I really emotionally stunted?" Roxas asked the redhead and Axel's smirk persisted as he chewed on another carrot.

"Hopelessly."

"Well that's upsetting."

"Well you feel all the right ones at the right times, just not all in the right order sometimes. If that makes sense."

"Not really, elaborate?"

"Well instead of feeling sad, you get angry. Instead of feeling…ah… I'm not sure how to word this one, hang on," the redhead said and took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Like yesterday, you were happy to see me right?"

"Right."

"Well instead of letting me greet you, you were an ass."

"Oh."

"And joking and being an ass is okay but you picked the wrong order of actions and that's what I was getting at."

"Oh."

"Does that make sense?"

"It does."

"Do you agree?"

"To an extent, yes."

"You also tend to give in really easily if people cry. You feel compassion for people that don't all the way deserve it and are just using their tears to get what they want. Especially Namine. You do that a lot with her."

"…And my mother," Roxas added quietly.

"I wasn't going to bring her up, but yeah," Axel watched the blonde closely. Roxas simply sat, looking away blankly for a moment before taking a breath and picking up a cucumber slice. "What are you feeling?"

"What are you? My therapist?" the blonde spat. He blinked and calmed. "Sorry."

"See? You did it again. And yes, I can be your therapist, your very sexy therapist," the redhead said and raised his brows. Roxas have him a small smile, which is what he was aiming for. "It's okay to be upset. You're allowed to cry and kick and scream, you know. That's probably one of the few good things about your sister, she definitely doesn't bottle things up, she lets it out."

"I guess I'm like Cloud in that respect then, I try to avoid showing weakness like that."

"It's not a weakness to be upset when you lose someone."

"Call it what you want, but I'm not going to fall to pieces just yet."

"I'm almost insulted," Axel huffed. He furrowed his brows together at the blonde for insinuating such feelings were a weakness. "Hell, the one of the few times you did show the right emotion is when I asked you if you were serious about being okay with me sleeping with Cloud and Tifa."

"That wasn't one of my proudest moments," the blonde huffed. "I felt like a complete imbecile."

"Wh—" the redhead started. He was getting angry. He sat up quickly and glared at the smaller boy. He opened his mouth to start yelling and closed it again, squeezed his eyes shut and looked away. He took a breath to calm himself and opened his eyes again. He looked at the blonde who was staring at him with a placid expression. "Whatever Roxas, you can feel stupid about it but—" he stopped again, the words weren't coming and it wasn't helping his frustration. He sighed. "Forget it," he spat and turned to leave.

"Wait, what are you so angry about?" the blonde asked. The redhead hesitated but left anyway, closing the door behind him. He made his way down the stairs and towards the back to go smoke. Sora was already out there, watching the snow melt and eating the last bits of cheese off his plate.

"How'd it go?" he asked and the redhead shook his head, lighting up.

"He's hopeless."

"Damn," Sora said and furrowed his brows. "Did you want me to talk to him?"

"I'd rather he figure it out for himself."

"Yeah but you'll be waiting forever if you let him do that." Axel shrugged.

"Oh well."

***

"Have you contacted the Department of Veterans Affairs?" Roxas asked. Cloud shook his head.

"Not yet, I did call the cemetery where we buried grandfather though. There is space in the family field. How did you want to do this? They weren't technically married, you know."

"I know. It seems odd to separate them," the blonde said flatly. The air between the brothers was tense and full of business. There was little emotion, little sadness, there was just straight _business_. "It's hard to navigate an on again off again husband. Would you have any objections to having him there?" The older blonde shook his head.

"I don't expect to have my own father buried there but they were together over the last couple of months and he _is_ Namine's father as well. He can lay there as well, I have no objections."

"Thank you. I suppose we should have some sort of service."

"A wake and burial would be proper; I'm not so sure we have to sign in with a church or anything, though. None of them were religious by any right."

"That's what I was thinking."

"I'll see if I can dredge up the name of the mortuary where grandfather was kept and the funeral home, as well as the casket place," Cloud sighed and pinched the ridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb. "Fucking paperwork," he said under his breath.

"If I can get down to my study I'll help with what I can."

"Don't worry about it for now, we have time. Just relax for a few days," the older blonde said and stood. He was halfway to the door when his brother stopped him.

"Cloud?"

"Hmm?"

"Have you cried for them?"

"No."

"What about Leon?"

"No. Why?"

"I was just wondering if I was normal for not doing it either," Roxas said sheepishly. Cloud shrugged.

"Sadness doesn't really register for me. I get angry."

"Me too."

"It's probably not the healthiest way to deal with things; you should retrain yourself to feel it properly before you get old like me."

"You're twenty-six."

"But an _old_ twenty-six."

"If you say so."

***

"What are you _doing_?" Sora squeaked when he came into the bedroom with Roxas' dinner. The blonde was sitting on his bed like he had been since he came home, and squinting at the comforter with his brows pushed together. He had his arms folded over his chest and he looked overly grumpy and yet a little constipated. "Did you want help with something?" the brunette asked with a raised brow. He set the plate on the side table and looked the blonde over.

"Punch me," the blonde said.

"What? Why?"

"I'm trying to cry and I can't do it."

"…Why do you want to cry?"

"So I can retrain myself," he huffed.

"To do what? To cry on command? Because I can do that and it ain't such a great gift let me tell you."

"To feel."

"Oh. Feel pain? Because if I punch you in the ribs that's what you're going to get."

"To feel _something_."

"Wait is this going back to what we were talking about earlier?"

"Yes."

"You're still bothered by that?"

"Yes."

"Well that's a start."

"I'm missing something aren't I?"

"Yeah. A _huge_ something, but I'm not allowed to tell you what."

"What? Why not?" the blonde asked and stopped his face contortion.

"Because I was told not to, and this time around I think I'll listen," the brunette said with a slight smile. Roxas sighed and looked contemplative, after a few minutes of deep thought he let out a groan and scratched at his scalp with both hands, ruffling his hair to no end. Sora giggled.

"Why is this so difficult?" the blonde uttered. Sora shrugged.

"I blame Riku, honestly."

"How is he even related?"

"You were abused, Roxxy. That's what people do to escape any of those feelings that may remind people of the hard times, they bottle them up and keep them in storage and it's hard to get them back out again. You _liked_ Riku at one point right?"

"I'm not proud to say so but I will admit I did, yes."

"And then he turned on you, right?"

"Right."

"Then he made you feel sad whenever he would abuse you right?"

"Right."

"You're missing out on the two major emotions associated with those instances. Do you know what those are?"

"…No." Sora's palm flew to his forehead as a reflex to his friend's density. Roxas sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me. I'm not the one you're hurting," the brunette said with a melancholic look. The blonde furrowed his brows together and stared at his hands. The underside of the ring Axel had given him glittered in the light and the blonde stared at it intently. He sighed. Sora watched Roxas' pained expression for a moment before deciding to leave him to himself. The brunette pulled the door closed behind him gently. Roxas was slowly feeling burnt out with the topic of feelings and emotions. He looked at his plate of food and sighed before pulling it to himself and sticking a fork in the streak.

***

Axel's eyes flew open as his Blackberry rattled around on his nightstand making an obnoxious noise. He glanced at the clock. It was after one in the morning and he grumbled, swearing death and damnation on whoever was calling him at this ungodly hour. He slapped his hand on the device and looked at the caller ID. He quirked a brow at the name and answered, not trying to hide the grogginess from his voice.

"Road Kill Café: you kill it we grill it," he said sleepily. Roxas snorted over the other line.

"That was unexpected," he said.

"That was the point, did you need something?"

"I was wondering if you were ever coming to bed, or if I was to wait all night for you and yell at you in the morning for not letting me sleep. Or are you ignoring me?"

"No, I didn't want to roll over and squash you like I tend to do sometimes. Since when do you need to sleep with me? Are you having a 'Sora' complex?" he snorted. Said brunette was sleeping away on the other side of his bed.

"I was just… curious. You don't have to."

"Well Sora would follow me and two bodies are more hazardous than one."

"…I see. Well that's fine. I was just wondering."

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine. Just a little cold."

"I can get you another blanket if you want."

"…That would be nice. Please."

"Okay, I'll be there in a minute," Axel said and hung up. He let out a breath and pushed himself from the covers. He nearly tripped on Alabaster, and swore under his breath at Sora for leaving the door open. He grumbled angrily as he padded into the hallway and down to a linen closet to pull another blanket from its shelves. He headed into Roxas' room and the blonde was sitting up with his hands folded neatly in his lap. The side table lamp was the only source of illumination and it was enough to guide the redhead to him. Pearl lay rolled into a tiny ball a short distance away from the blonde on his comforter. Axel realized that the animals usually slept with Xigbar, and had to find refuse elsewhere now. He tried not to let the pang of loss get to him, and stood off to the side of Roxas' bed and unfolded the blanket to spread over him. When he let go of the fabric to let it come to rest on his small frame the blond caught his hand.

"What am I missing?" the smaller boy asked with a slight monotone. His eyes were unfocused and his face blank, the redhead quirked a brow and looked around the room.

"Uhm… I have no idea. What am I looking for?"

"Emotionally, just tell me what's wrong."

"I can't answer that for you."

"Yes, yes you can. You know what it is and aren't telling me," the blonde insisted and looked up at him. Axel was quick to realize that Roxas was probably sitting awake all this time trying to figure it out. He was a little disturbed by hard it was for the smaller boy to figure out but at the same time it was comforting to know that it was bothering him to begin with.

"It's not something I can just tell you to do. You have to figure it out for yourself, Roxas."

"I… I can't. I can't feel sad about my parents and Xigbar, I can't get upset anymore with what happened, and I don't even get upset when I think about Riku. That's wrong, Axel. That's not okay, that's not normal. I'm missing too many pieces and I can't figure it out. Sora says I'm missing something huge and that I'm hurting someone but I can't for the life of me figure out what or who."

"Oh yeah? He said that did he?"

"Yes."

"I see."

"Do you know what he's talking about? If you do, please tell me. I'm going to lose sleep over this."

"Again, it's not something I can just tell you. You need to figu—"

"Figure it out for myself, I know."

"Right. I'm going back to bed," the redhead said and leaned to give him a kiss in his hair. The blonde allowed him to do so, but wouldn't let go of his hand. He pulled his arm some, "I'm really tired, can I go to sleep?"

"Not until you tell me."

"Come on, Roxas, don't do this. It's one in the morning," Axel said and rolled his eyes. He tried to pry the blonde's fingers from his hand. Roxas held steady and glared at him.

"Tell me."

"I'm not going to."

"Tell me."

"No," the redhead persisted. He wiggled his hand back and fourth and the blonde's grip slid to hanging onto one finger. "Okay this is stupid, just let go."

"Not until you tell me," Roxas repeated. He pulled the redhead's finger and Axel didn't want to resist and risk hurting him so he allowed himself to be pulled some. The redhead sat on the bed with a sigh.

"You need to sleep."

"I can't."

"Have you even tried?"

"Not really, but I know I won't be able to."

"Well try," Axel grumped. He wiggled his hand again and the blonde held on tight. "Seriously, let go."

"No. I want you to stay."

"I don't want to roll over and hurt you."

"I don't care. I want you to stay," the blonde repeated.

"Why?"

"What do you mean, 'why?' Can't I just want a cuddle and some comfort?"

"You can but you don't understand why, which is what you're missing."

"Oh," the blonde trailed as he came to the realization.

"I can send Sora in just as easily," the redhead offered. Roxas shook his head.

"I don't want Sora."

"You want me, specifically."

"Yes."

"Okay, now why?"

"…I don't know."

"Right, well once you figure it out, let me know. I really need to sleep, and you should too," the redhead deadpanned and was able to pull his finger out of the blonde's grasp. He stood and hefted the covers up higher on the smaller boy and gave him another kiss before reaching over and clicking off the light. Before he could get very far though, Roxas' hand grabbed onto the back of his pajama pants and the redhead rolled his eyes. "You know I have no problem with just stepping out of my pants and walking naked back to my room, right?"

"Please… just stay," the other boy pleaded. The redhead sighed, he knew if he was to turn around and click the light on there would be a pair of enormous blue eyes staring up at him and begging him to stay. Damn those eyes.

"Fine. But I'm not touching you, and you better be prepared for Sora to come running in before too long. I'm not locking the door," he warned. The blonde's hand fell away and the redhead shuffled carefully onto the bed, reaching out to see where Pearl was. The bell on her collar jingled as she got out of the way and Axel slid himself under the covers. She immediately came to rub on him and resettled herself. Roxas didn't have much choice in the way he was allowed to lay and he settled back against his mound of pillows uncomfortably. Axel stole a spare and folded it over on itself and wrapped his arms underneath it.

"I'm sorry for being so difficult, but I really think I have a problem," the blonde said. Axel snorted.

"You just need to wake up, is all. Get some sleep and think it over tomorrow."

"Alright, goodnight Axel."

"Goodnight Roxas."

***

There was an extra body in the bed and Axel knew exactly who it was. He let an eye slide open some and spied a chunk of brown hair to his immediate left. He sighed and looked to the other side. Roxas was gone. On his pillow there was a note and the redhead rubbed his eyes, reaching for it.

_Axel,_

_Went back to the hospital with Cloud to visit with Namine and Yuna._

_Hopefully when I come back, I won't be quite as stupid._

_-R_

The redhead quirked a brow. He turned the note over several times, looking for more before setting it aside. Sora shifted around in his place and a hand reached out and groped around. It found the redhead's arm and settled. Axel wasn't about to wait for the brunette to wake up and poked his hair. Sora groaned and smacked his hand away. He settled for pulling on a piece of chestnut and the smaller boy's eyes fluttered open and he glared at the redhead.

"What was that for?" he whined.

"Wake up."

"Nooo, five more minutes."

"If you can sleep by yourself, you're welcome to try, I'm getting up though." Sora rolled around dramatically in his place and made a string of unhappy sounds.

"You're so mean to me," he huffed. Axel shrugged.

"I know, I'm terrible," he said sarcastically and pushed himself up. Sora had one more heavy pout before following him out into the hallway. Axel sniffed the air. "You smell that?" he asked. Sora sniffed.

"Demyx is making pancakes."

"No, I'm not," Demyx said as he walked out of the nursery with an armful of pink cloth. The pair looked confused. "Tifa is," the sandy blonde said. He seemed calmer than the day before which was a bonus. He didn't say much else before walking down the stairs, Axel and Sora trailing behind him. The man went one direction and the pair went in the other, heading through the dining hall and into the kitchen. Tifa turned and smiled at them.

"Good morning, hungry?" she asked before turning back to her griddle.

"Why isn't Demyx cooking?" Sora asked.

"He needed a break and I know how to work a stove so I volunteered."

"Oh."

"What kind of pancakes do you like?"

"Whatever kind falls in front of me," Axel said and the woman giggled before reaching for a handful of blueberries.

"I like… yeah. I like the kind that are pancakes," Sora said. Tifa laughed.

"Fair enough," she said. They sat in relative silence as the woman cooked away, piling up a hefty stack of the cakes. Axel went to retrieve dishes for them and joined Sora at the countertop when he had everything. "Demyx says to eat your fill and then eat two more, Axel," she said as she sat the serving dish down. The redhead groaned.

"Damn it."

"Have you even gained any weight?" Sora asked and started piling up his plate.

"Two pounds in two months hardly seems worth it to me," the redhead grumbled and the brunette raised a brow.

"Wow, only two?"

"Yep."

"You have to have a thyroid problem for something. That's weird."

"I've been hearing that my entire life, Sora. I would like it to stop sometime soon," Axel warned and gave him a sideways glare. The brunette shrugged and reached for the maple syrup. He gave the redhead a confused look when Axel shoved a forkful of pancake into his mouth without the added condiment.

"You don't like syrup?"

"If all I wanted to taste was syrup, then yes, I would have some. But I don't, so I'm not." Tifa giggled.

"Seems logical enough to me," she said and took a seat with them. They ate together quietly and when Axel had his fill and sat back, Tifa plopped two more onto his plate and the redhead glared at her. She gave him a sweet smile and nudged his plate towards him. His glare persisted and her smile spread into a grin. When he still didn't move, she stood and started to cut a piece for him and held the fork out tauntingly. "Open up for the choo-choo train," she cooed and Sora started to laugh. Axel's face turned outright angry and he snatched the fork from her and shoved it in his mouth.

***

"You can't expect everything fall apart right away. I believe you're the type of person that takes an extra little while to adjust and then everything will hit home for you and you'll feel it. No one can just blatantly ignore such a tragedy, Roxas," Yuna said calmly. The smaller blonde cast a glance to Cloud and Namine. He sighed. He didn't want to wait. He wanted to be like everyone else and be able to feel upset when bad things happen and understand the feelings they have when they're around someone they care about. The blonde knew he was hurting Axel, but he didn't understand how or why. It didn't feel right to go on as he normally would, because what if he gets so busy he doesn't ever come to his senses? What then?

"I saw my baby today," Namine said. She had been crying already for their parents and Xigbar and she sniffled, wiping at her eyes. She tried to smile some with talking about her child but it was obvious that she was struggling with dealing with the conflicting emotions.

"Did you decide on a name?" Cloud asked. She nodded.

"Fuu."

***

Yuna was visiting the manor again today. She was going to stay for dinner and leave, just as she had done the previous day. Everyone, including the staff, sat around the dining table together and there was a tense silence. The woman was very polite and didn't say anything to incite any anger or sadness but she had to do her job at some point and help them move forward.

"Did you all pick a date for the service?" she asked and peered down at Roxas and Cloud. The eldest brother nodded.

"Friday," he said and turned back to his meal. She nodded. Demyx abruptly stood and squeaked as his face started to collapse and he quickly made his way back into the kitchen. Zexion watched with surprised eyes before standing and following after him. Axel felt that familiar pang in his chest again and choked it down with another mouthful of food. The air quickly turned depressing and bleak, forcing Sora to lose his appetite and sit back in his chair. He sighed sadly.

"This bites," the brunette muttered.

***

"I need your help," Roxas said. Demyx was in his room prepping his bed for him. The sandy blonde had calmed again and was keeping mostly to himself since his breakdown at dinner. He quirked a brow at the blonde and helped him hobble under the covers.

"What did you need?" he asked and pulled the covers up.

"I need to know how to feel sad."

"Okay…"

"You know how to do that."

"Yes but I wish it wasn't so easy for me sometimes, I envy you and Cloud for your ability to keep your emotions in check."

"Keeping them in check is one thing but not having them to begin with is another."

"You have them, Roxxy. You just need to give it time."

"I don't want to give it time. I'm hurting people and I don't know how to stop it," the blonde said his anger building with his frustration.

"Who are you hurting?" Demyx asked with a confused face.

"…Axel."

"He doesn't seem upset that you can't get upset."

"It's not that, I just… I don't know what I'm missing between us and I think if I start with what I _know_ I'm missing, I can figure it out."

"Your logical mind is such a fault sometimes," the sandy blonde said with a smile.

"What do you mean?"

"You're treating both scenarios like they're interconnected when they're actually separate. Axel probably isn't upset with you having a hard time adjusting with this. In fact he probably understands it more than you do."

"But he got angry when I said I didn't like showing weakness like crying and whatever."

"In reference to what?"

"I told him I didn't want to share him and… I broke down and started acting like a total child. He said I acted right but when I told him how stupid I felt he got angry with me."

"Well such a display probably meant a lot to him, did you ever think about that?"

"How would me sobbing my eyes out like an idiot mean a lot to him? That's twisted." The blonde furrowed his brows at the thought of Axel getting pleasure out of such a weakness.

"You're missing the bigger picture," Demyx said and sat on the edge of the bed. "You told him that you didn't want to share him. That he was yours, essentially. Then you gave him such a display; you let him see that emotion. Then when you go and tell him it was you being stupid and discounting it as a weakness…don't you think that's a problem?"

"Why would he care so much about that though? I don't understand," the blonde huffed and gripped his covers. Demyx sighed and gave him a warm smile.

"Because he loves you, duh." Roxas immediately blushed and looked away from the man. Demyx chuckled and patted his leg. "You're so cute, Roxxy," he said and stood quietly and left the blonde to his thoughts. Roxas sighed and felt his cheeks. He could feel their heat against his fingertips and he looked around the room nervously like he expected someone to be watching him. His heart rate had increased and his palms started to sweat as his thought about it more. He took as deep a breath as his ribs would allow, and exhaled slowly. He calmed his nerves some and let his hands fall away from his face. Sora was right, he was completely emotionally inept. 'Hopeless,' in the redhead's words. He ran his hands through his hair and grumbled.

"I'm such an asshole," he muttered to himself and picked up his Blackberry. He dialed Axel and held the device to his ear with a look of impatience.

"Yes?" the redhead answered calmly.

"Come to my room please," the blonde ordered and hung up without listening for a response. He waited. And waited. And waited for what seemed like an eternity to him but was actually only about ten minutes. When Axel stuck his head around the door, Roxas glared at him. "What took you so long?" he huffed. The redhead came inside.

"I was all the way on the other side of the house, sorry, I didn't think I needed to run otherwise I would have. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," the blonde said angrily and Axel raised a brow.

"It doesn't sound like 'nothing,'" he said. Roxas took another breath and scowled. He opened his mouth to speak but shut it again. Axel went to him and took a seat on the bed, watching patiently as the blonde had a nuclear war of thoughts race through him. Before too long, the blonde turned a light shade of pink. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just confused," the blonde blurted. He tried to look at the redhead's face but he couldn't force himself to keep his eyes in place and they flicked around the room uneasily.

"With what?"

"The same bullshit that I've been trying to figure out for the last two days."

"Bullshit huh?" Axel questioned. Roxas immediately regretted his choice of words.

"I'm sorry, it's not bullshit."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes."

"Okay," he said simply. It was progress.

"W—" he hesitated, "will you hold me?"

"I'm not sure how we'd do that without hurting you," the redhead said and gave the blonde an incredulous face.

"I'll be fine," the blonde insisted. "With everything that happened and me pretending to date Rikku, it's been a while," he admitted and his blush darkened. Axel smiled.

"I can try," he said and moved into the bed fully, moving around the blonde and settling back. They tried varying positions and they all either hurt the smaller boy's leg or ribs enough to where he couldn't just ignore it. They settled for the old standby of the blonde sitting on him and leaning back against the redhead's chest. Axel wove his arms in front of the blonde and they folded their hands together in the smaller boy's lap. He leaned his cheek against his blonde fluff and sighed. "This okay?" he asked. Roxas nodded.

"I talked to Demyx, and he told me something I should have realized a while ago," the blonde started.

"Yeah?"

"I'm an asshole," he huffed. Axel laughed.

"Demyx said that, did he?"

"No, but I came to that conclusion." The blonde took one of the redhead's hands and ran his fingertip over the lines of his palm. "He told me that you love me," he deadpanned and felt the redhead's breathing halt. He waited a moment and Axel eventually let his breath out.

"Is that so?"

"Yes," Roxas confirmed and pulled the hand to his face and squashed the palm against his cheek. "Is it true?"

"If it is?"

"I would like to know," the blonde said and turned his face and kissed his palm lightly before replacing it on his face.

"Well what would you do?" the redhead asked. The blonde hesitated.

"…I—I would… I…" he stuttered. Axel waited patiently. He ran his thumb under the blonde's jaw line gently but kept his hand in place. He couldn't see the smaller boy's face but he could imagine the wide eyed blank look he was giving the wall and smiled some. Roxas took another breath and tried to settle his heartbeat and tickling nerves. "I would probably say that I love you too," he blurted and squeezed his eyes shut from embarrassment, expecting the redhead to laugh at him.

"Okay." Axel stated simply. He could feel the sudden tension in the blonde and rubbed his face in his hair.

"Okay? That's it?" Roxas questioned suspiciously.

"Why shouldn't it be?"

"I don't know, it seemed pretty anticlimactic to me."

"Well I would jump you but you're sort of broken."

"Not completely," the blonde protested.

"That's what 'sort of' means, yes. What were you expecting?"

"The last time I told someone outside of my family I loved them they turned into a completely different person and raped me, so I don't have much to go on," the blonde said flatly and furrowed his brows. Axel blinked.

"Well I'm not going to do that," he said.

"I appreciate it."

"No problem."

"Is it true though?" he asked quietly. Axel smiled and nuzzled behind the blonde's ear. He left a trail of light kisses along his hairline and buried his face in his neck.

"Of course it is," the redhead whispered. Roxas let out a breath and relaxed against him. "Was it really that hard to figure out?"

"For me it was," the blonde blurted, annoyed. "It really bothers me that I was so dense. What else have I missed?"

"I wouldn't worry about it right now," the redhead said and laid his head on the blonde's shoulder. His hand slid off the smaller boy's cheek and they refolded their hands together on his lap.

"Now what?" Roxas asked after a moment of silence.

"You make it sound like we should be doing something important."

"Well…I don't know. It seems like a big step to me and we should be a little more excited I suppose."

"Oh I'm excited, I'm _plenty_ excited," the redhead chuckled. The blonde raised a brow.

"You don't seem ve—Oh. _Oh_," he said and blushed, "sorry."

"I can wait."

"You're going to have to, I'm afraid. My mobility is rather limited at the moment."

"I know," Axel smiled.

"Will you stay with me tonight?"

"Are you kidding? I'm never leaving you alone _now_. Not after that little awkward confession."

"I can live with that."

"Good," the redhead said and grinned before planting another series of kisses on the blonde's neck. The smaller boy smiled some and reveled in the attention. He felt lighter since having come to terms with what he was missing. In reality, he wasn't missing anything aside from a bit of common sense. He only hoped he could latch on to the feelings enough to pick up on any other subtleties the redhead may toss his way. It was going to be difficult but he was more confident in his ability to do so, especially with the endearing set of lips pecking away at his skin.


	42. Chapter 42

**Disclaimer and A/N**: Seriously, if you don't know by this point that this is an 'M' rated fic, you need to get back on the short bus.

I gave you an extra thousand words for this chapter, just because I'm that cool.

Chapter 42

Funerals suck. Funerals where you have to put on a public façade were even worse. Having _two_ funerals where you have to put on a public façade made things even even even more worse. Axel grumbled unhappily as Marluxia tugged on his hair with the straightening iron. His cheeks itched where he couldn't see his tattoos anymore and his shirt was too starchy to be comfortable. He had gone out with Roxas earlier in the week and bought a black suit for the occasion and even though the jacket and pants were tailored to him, the dress shirt underneath was not. Marluxia ran a brush through his submissive locks one last time and patted him on the shoulder signaling that he was finished. He was letting his hair free today. No fancy braid and no tight ponytail. At least he didn't have to wear a tie.

Roxas though, Roxas was a different story. He and his siblings were the last remaining generation to his name. Fuu didn't qualify just yet because she was still in her plastic bubble and was born out of wedlock. Being the last ones standing meant he had to pull out the fancy adornments for him and his siblings. The brothers wore tailored black suits with matching crests on the lapels; the family crest, in addition to matching cufflinks and tie clips. Namine was to wear an enormous opal and ruby inlayed brooch with the same crest pinned onto her plain black gown. She was still feeling very weak and would be wheeled around in a wheelchair by Cloud for the services. Roxas would trail behind them using a gilded cane to reduce his limp. The cane itself was an ebony and ivory antique, one his grandfather used. It was all for appearances. The blonde could walk relatively well by himself even if he did limp a little, but they're to portray the beaten and battered family in the throws of tragedy. Which they were, but again, appearances were everything.

Reporters would be there, in addition to much of the same audience that attended Roxas' birthday 'celebration;' the most important people related to their company. Axel was to stand off to the side with the staff, Sora, and Tifa. After the services there would be a mourning gathering at the manor but after that they were at odds. They were to lay Roxas' parents to rest in the family cemetery first before heading to the nearest military cemetery for Xigbar's veteran signing off and burial. The wakes had been over and done with for the week, and hundreds of people had attended to pay their respects. Roxas had known some of them, but mostly it was John Q Public that rolled in, just to gawk and point fingers. Only Larxene was able to have an open casket, since she still had a presentable face. Car bombings involving people of money often did that. The time of grief for the people that lost loved ones was often turned into a spectacle for the public eye. It was sickening, but that was modern society.

It had taken them a week to get to this point. A week of healing and trying to find the right emotions. For Roxas, especially. He still hadn't been able to force himself to look like a grieving child at the loss of his parents and he was still bothered by his ineptitude. He was more upset about Xigbar than the other two. The man had a hand in everything the blonde did over the course of his lifetime. Luxord had really only been there for about eight or nine years of his life and between the drunkenness and the constant vacations and bouncing around husbands, Larxene was probably technically there for even less. Xigbar though, he was a constant. He never left the blonde's side for much of anything. He was there when the blonde was born, and for all the important milestones of his life. If anything, Roxas would cry for Xigbar first. If only he could muster the feelings.

It was quiet in the new limousine. Axel found it ironic that this was the way they chose to travel but he kept his mouth shut. The redhead had his arm draped along the back of the seat behind Roxas and the blonde leaned on him some, heaving a heavy sigh. Namine and Sora leaned on Demyx and Tifa leaned on Cloud. Zexion didn't seem to care that his partner was occupied and sat quietly next to Marluxia, waiting patiently. No one was following them. No more family, no close friends, no distant and often forgotten about relatives. Nothing. This was it and it was saddening.

They arrived at the cemetery and Demyx and Cloud helped Namine out of the back and into her chair. Axel trailed after them and helped Roxas out and Tifa. Sora, Zexion and Marluxia hopped out and they all made the long walk up a soft hill to the top of the mound where there was already a crowd of people waiting. Cloud took Namine's chair and Roxas went after them, leaving the rest of the group behind as a string of cameras started to go off in various intervals. The media was kept at bay behind a line of rope but the real crowd was circled around two gaping holes in the earth with two identical caskets poised above them waiting to be lowered. There was a podium at the head of the plots and Roxas took a deep breath. Everyone settled on the sidelines and Cloud took his position with his sister of the side of the podium while the youngest, Roxas, took a wincing step up behind the stand and faced the onlookers.

"I'm not entirely sure what to say," the blonde started and the low murmur of the crowd settled. He didn't have a microphone and speakers but there wasn't much wind or additional noise to block his voice out. Everything was eerily silent aside from the clicks of the cameras in the distance. Axel shivered from his position, looking around at all the remaining snow. This was the worst time of year to have a burial. Demyx was already starting to break apart as was Sora. Roxas continued. "What _am_ I supposed to say, really? I'm expected to give a speech on how I feel about losing my parents and how it's affecting me. Well how would you feel if you were me? I try to take a friend out to dinner and I'm basically slapped across the face for just trying to have a life and some normalcy." The faces of the crowd looked at each other confusedly, like the blonde was speaking in Egyptian hieroglyphics. Roxas crossed his arms over his chest angrily, taking in their expressions. "I'm eighteen years old. I'm a legal adult yet I still feel like I've yet to have my childhood. The fact that someone has the _gall_ to take my parents from me just when things were starting to come together for them again, well… I don't like it. I'm angry. I can't be sad yet, I can't cry, I'm just downright _pissed_. This is probably the most unprofessional thing I've ever said before to any of you but its how I feel, and it's true. It isn't fair. I don't like it. I'm not happy. If you're expecting tears, you're not going to get any, and I apologize. It may seem heartless and insensitive but I can't cry yet until I see justice for them, I've decided. Tears just aren't my thing for scenarios like this," he said and waved his hand dismissively.

Axel scanned the crowd again and many of the faces were in shock. They were probably expecting a sob story of how great Roxas' parents were to him and how much he would miss them. The blonde wasn't a liar and he sure as hell wasn't going to sugarcoat himself for the sake of people he barely knew. The people that mattered, the ones who rode in the limo with him, knew how he felt about it and would let him do his own thing and find his own way to cope, regardless of how long it took. His employees didn't have to like him to work for him. He was the one who signed their paychecks at the end of every other week and aside from looking nice and playing the part, Roxas had no further obligation towards them. At the conclusion of his speech the blonde stepped down from his podium and stood next to his siblings silently. The various people of the crowd had flowers in their hands and each one came up to place one on each casket before leaving. Many skeptical looks were passed Roxas' way but he ignored them and watched the mound of flowers pile up. Once the employees cleared out and were mostly in their cars, heading for the manor, the caskets were lowered slowly into their resting places. _That's_ when the tears broke out. Mostly coming from Namine, Demyx, and Sora but Zexion, Tifa, and Marluxia were both a little watery as well. Axel wasn't weepy. He simply watched Roxas, gauging his expression, or lack thereof. Cloud was the same as his younger brother, only he was watching Larxene's casket more intently as it disappeared into the earth.

The walk back to the limousine was hushed, fraught with quiet sobs from the aforementioned crying party. Roxas was the last to settle into the back and Axel draped his arm behind him again like they had on their first trip. The drive was long and quiet. The military cemetery was at least an hour away from the family cemetery and the air was tense the entire way. The ones in the vehicle were the only ones attending this particular service, since Xigbar was essentially a nobody to anyone else. The media didn't even follow them; the hired hands were expendable to them. When they pulled to a stop, Xigbar's casket could already be seen poised above his resting place in the distance in a sea of white headstones. The older man's militant platoon had only one remaining member and the man stood off to the side like a statue. There was a bugler standing next to him playing Taps as they approached. Three other unrelated officers stood off in the distance, waiting to be useful. The standards for a traditional militant burial were actually relatively extensive but when your commanding officer died of old age years ago, and your platoon had died away in the war, it was hard to pull things together and make it official so they made due with what was left. The flag covering the casket billowed with the slight breeze.

"Auron," Roxas said as they approached the man. He gave a slight smirk to the blonde. Axel had never met this man before but apparently Roxas knew him from somewhere. "I don't have a speech for you."

"I don't expect one, there isn't much to say. I haven't seen Xig in years, talked to him some but we never really saw each other. He was a good man and it was an honor serving with him in our youth, but other than that I don't have much to add either."

"He was my father figure for much of my life since mine was never around and even then, I can only feel anger for what has happened. Sorry if I don't shed any tears."

"I'm not going to, either. Shall we?" he asked. Roxas nodded. Auron apparently had prepared a short, overly rehearsed speech about his time with Xigbar. He stated when they served together, what their ranks were, ages, the duration of their service and their platoon number; a bunch of meaningless things that proved that the deceased man was merely another statistic to the military, versus a valued life. As he continued his spiel, the trio of officers stepped forward and went about the process of folding the flag from Xigbar's casket into a neat military grade triangle and setting it in a wood case with a glass front. They handed the triangular box off to Roxas and the blonde stared at it with a blank face. When the speech was finished, the bugler began playing Taps again and the casket was lowered.

The blonde sighed heavily and watched Xigbar disappear. Demyx wailed and held his face in his hands and Zexion pulled the sandy blonde to his chest, with tears in his eyes. Marluxia covered his eyes with a quivering chin and soon everyone else followed suit. Cloud and Roxas had the only dry eyes in the surrounding area. Even Axel's were watery. The trio of officers left silently and the bugler persisted until they decided to leave. They bid their goodbyes to Auron and he gave his sympathies. He refused the invitation to the manor though, and Axel didn't blame him. The service wasn't much but it was enough to leave an impression. When the redhead looked back at the extensive field from the door of the limo, he couldn't even tell where Xigbar was anymore. He had just become another memory in a sea of lost souls.

***

"Are you sure you don't need us to stay?" Cloud asked the next morning. Roxas nodded.

"I'll call you when Fuu is able to come home, but we'll be fine until then, don't worry," the smaller blonde said. His brother was repacking his things and getting ready to leave for his afternoon flight with Tifa.

"If you need anything, let me know. "

"I will. You need to get back to work, and I need to get back to school. If anything new happens you'll be my first call."

"Alright," the taller blonde said and zipped his suitcase closed. He took a deep breath and looked at his younger brother who was standing off to the side with a placid face, as usual. Cloud looked contemplative for a moment before stepping up to Roxas and abruptly pulling the boy to his chest, wrapping him in an awkward yet firm hug. Tifa giggled and folded another shirt. "Take care of yourself, please," the older blonde said and Roxas nodded.

"I will."

***

Another week passed and Roxas was able to take a deep breath. A _deep_ breath and not feel like his ribs were going to skewer him. It was a relief to feel normal again in his own body and not feel like his lungs were intruders in his chest. His calf was a little sore but he shrugged it off. When _wasn't_ it sore? He sat at his desk, working on his homework and keeping an eye on his e-mail just in case someone from work needed something. Things were quiet. Blissfully quiet.

He still hadn't broken down. He meant what he said at his parent's burial and he probably wouldn't be able to feel sorrow for them until he could push aside his anger and contempt towards Xemnas. Which meant that Xemnas had to be found, and condemned to a life in prison. The death penalty was a privilege for him, the blonde felt, and he wouldn't let his lawyers put it on the bargaining table when the time came.

The nursery was finished. Namine was home. All that was missing was little Fuu, who still needed a couple months to be brought up to speed. Roxas visited with the infant every other day but his sister was there every waking moment she could possibly spare. Demyx was thinking about moving into the manor properly, which meant that Zexion would probably come with him. The sandy blonde was turning into a veritable mother hen with the talk of an infant living at home again and Zexion was accommodating to his partner's desires enough to go along with whatever kept Demyx happy. The slate haired man didn't really have much of an opinion either way, so long as they were together.

Axel had his keys and Blackberry back on a permanent basis. Sora's phone was ordered but Roxas was still skeptical in giving the brunette his own credit card. The redhead didn't feel the need to go to the clinic every day but would on occasion, just to be safe if he felt itchy when he woke up. Sora had passed his test and had his GED, just like a good little ADD riddled boy and planned to keep progressing with his education in the summer. But for now, it was March, and he was at a loss for most of the day.

Axel shoved the door open to the study with his hip and wandered inside with a pastry hanging out of his mouth and hefting a load of books. The blonde quirked a brow at him as he wobbled inside and plopped the mass onto the floor and sat heavily in a chair with a tired sigh. He chewed on his pastry lightly, willing his arms to stop aching.

"What have you got there?" the blonde asked, peeking over the desk. None of them were textbooks, but looked more like photo albums. Axel wasn't one for getting his schoolwork out of the way early and instead opted to use Sunday evenings for it instead of Thursdays like Roxas.

"Rikku shoved all of these on me today and insisted I let you look through them. They're photo albums and she ordered that I answer any questions you had," the redhead said.

"Photo albums of what, exactly?"

"Me. Us, everyone."

"Oh," the realization slowly crept on the blonde as he remembered Rikku saying she wasn't sure he wanted to see pictures of Axel from before rehab. He wouldn't openly admit he was more than a little curious, though.

"If you care to look at them, I'm not going to stick around. You can come play twenty questions with me afterward, but I'd rather not look at myself."

"Is it really that bad?"

"Yes. Yes it is."

"I won't look then if it makes you uncomfortable."

"Well, you want an Axel Fact a day and I've run out of stupid positive ones so I guess it's time for the hard stuff."

"…Oh." Roxas said and felt a little selfish wanting to see them, after hearing Axel and Rikku's opinions on the matter but the pile of books was just ever so tempting.

"How're your ribs?" the redhead asked, changing the subject quickly.

"I feel pretty good today, actually. I could probably sneeze and not feel like I'm being ripped in half."

"Excellent."

"I thought so too," the blonde said and gave him a small smile. Axel smiled back. The blonde knew his partner was starving for attention since he held himself back from touching Roxas too much while he was in pain. After the bruise under his eye had healed (much more quickly than his ribs had) the redhead started to hang around him just a little bit more, hoping the blonde would feel up to a hug or six. Or fifty. Hundreds would be better but he didn't want to seem greedy. He'd settle for fifty-two and a quarter.

Axel watched the blonde turn back to his textbook calmly. He chewed on his thumbnail and watched the smaller boy write away in his notebook, taking notes as he read. The blonde's dedication to his education was admirable but the redhead wanted to rip the pages away from him and tackle him to the ground. He continued to chew on his thumb, watching intently for any sign of the blonde losing focus but there wasn't any. The redhead sighed a little to himself. Roxas glanced up at him briefly before turning back to his book. He furrowed his brows together and looked up at him again.

"Did you need something?" he asked and the redhead grinned.

"Just watching."

"Alright," the smaller boy said and returned to his work. Axel mentally kicked himself for not taking advantage of the moment. He narrowed his eyes at the blonde spikes and hoped the boy would feel the hole boring into his skin. There was a light flick of sapphire eyes towards him again. "You're making me nervous," he admitted. He was feeling the heat from the taller boy's gaze on him even as he kept his vision on his book. Axel didn't say anything. Another few minutes passed and Roxas sighed, and set his pen in the spine of the open text. He sat back and crossed his arms over his chest, staring right back at the redhead. Axel grinned.

"Did you need something?" the redhead asked, imitating the blonde. Roxas looked thoughtful for a split second before getting up from his seat and shoving himself into the redhead's lap. Axel's grin persisted. Before he could move to do anything, the blonde was pulling up his shirt and exposing his ribs. There was a lot of discoloration still but hardly a fifth of it seemed like anything significant. There were little blotches of brown where two weeks prior, there had been an entire expanse of gnarly looking purple and red. Axel smiled and was able to spread his hands over the blonde's skin and not have him shrink away in pain. Roxas shivered some under his hands and smiled as well.

Axel knew that shiver. Immediately he became aware that it had been nearly a month since he had any satisfying encounters with the blonde and he felt the heat build under his skin as he pulled the smaller boy's torso to him. The blonde kept and arm next to the redhead's face on the back of the chair to steady himself and smiled down at Axel, leaning over his slouching frame. The taller boy pushed himself up and buried his lips in the blonde's pulse, Roxas sighed against the nips and kisses, reaching his free hand up to comb through the other's hair. Axel tried to shift around under the smaller boy and sit back and straight so he could move more freely but he found he was pinned underneath him.

"Going somewhere?" Roxas asked with an arrogant tone and raised a brow at him. Axel narrowed his eyes to slits and pursed his lips at the blonde in faux hostility.

"I'm not so sure I like your attitude," he said suspiciously.

"I'm sorry," the blonde started and rubbed his hands over his face vigorously. Once he pulled his palms away he had a doe eyed innocent look to him with pleading eyebrows and a little quiver in his lip. He heaved a pathetic sniffle and collapsed himself onto the redhead's chest. Axel laughed and hugged him.

"Wow, that was almost believable," he said and kissed the blonde's hair.

"Why thank you, I practiced."

"Did you _really_?"

"No."

"Okay good." Axel was free enough and able to pull the blonde with him as he sat up properly. Roxas shifted around draped a leg over either arm rest and settled himself on the redhead's lap. He leaned back and put his hands on the taller boy's knees, supporting himself. Axel raised a brow at their position and the blatant display the blonde was giving him. Not that he minded the completely open view of him, but it was startling. He was also amazed that the blonde was flexible enough to hook his legs over the armrests and pull his legs open so far. It was… enticing. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked, just to make sure the blonde hadn't eaten an entire bottle of hormones.

"I feel fine, why? Should I be having a problem?"

"No, I'm just wondering why you're so cuddly all of a sudden and… showy? Part of me is expecting the house to light on fire simply because we have a moment of peace."

"I can understand that sentiment. But no, I'm just… I don't know what I am. Happy? I shouldn't be happy, but I am. I guess. I'm not sure."

"Why shouldn't you be happy?"

"It just seems to be happening too easily, I didn't have to face Lucifer or anything just to feel it; it's almost like cheating," the blonde said with a cynical tone. He gave the redhead a lopsided smile. "I don't have much homework and nothing pressing to do for the company, it's the weekend, and I'm not being beaten to death or captured. How strange is that?"

"It's not strange, well not really anyway, it's being _normal_. It also helps that the weather is changing and the sun is out longer. Or, it's out. Period, forget the 'longer' part, just having it out is a nice change," the redhead added with a smile. The blonde nodded. He kicked his feet in alternating increments over the sides of the chair, causing his position to sway just a bit as they simply sat together and looked at each other. "How can you sit like that?" Axel asked after a moment. Roxas shrugged.

"When I feel okay I'm actually relatively flexible. If you want to see weird near-contortionism though, you should ask Sora or Zexion."

"Zexion?"

"Yes, he does yoga, but the serious yoga that turns him into a weird pretzel every time."

"I didn't know that, that's… a little creepy."

"Well if he and Demyx come to live here I'm sure you'll catch him doing it a few times. He offered to try and teach Namine but she couldn't get it."

"Did you try?"

"I did, a few times, but I'm not one for sitting on the floor and simply… sit on the floor. I'd rather do something."

"I can see that," the redhead added and smiled. Another moment of silence passed, "soo…how good do you feel?" he asked sheepishly. He couldn't just sit around and ignore himself any longer. A thin, sly smile spread across Roxas' lips.

"There's always room for improvement," he said and Axel grinned. He was just about to reach forward and feel along the blonde's outstretched thighs when Sora bounded into the room and slid to a stop next to their chair, almost tripping on the pile of albums next to it. He blinked at them for a moment.

"Sorry, should I leave?" the brunette asked.

"It depends on what you want," Roxas said.

"I was coming to tell you to come look at the news, Riku got arrested," he said. Roxas startled and looked to Axel who was just as surprised. Sora looked them over.

"I can DVR it if you want to continue," he said and gave them a grin and a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Yes," the redhead blurted too quickly before he could stop himself and Roxas laughed. Sora giggled and left quietly. The blonde was still chuckling when the door shut behind the brunette and he smiled at Axel who was blushing just a bit. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that out loud," he said. "We could check it out if you want to."

"Later, just knowing that he's arrested is enough for now. I can see it later," the smaller boy pushed himself forward and draped his arms around the redhead's neck, twirling a piece of red around his finger limply. Axel's arms wrapped around him and hugged his face into the other's chest. Roxas rubbed a cheek in his hair and they both sighed contentedly. Axel closed his eyes and nuzzled the blonde's sternum affectionately. He craned his neck to look up and Roxas pulled away just enough to look down and meet his eyes. The peaceful air between them made them both smile in tandem at one another. Roxas' was the first to spread into a grin. Axel slowly followed suit.

The blonde bent some so he could close the last few inches between them. His hands cupped the redhead's face gently and he pressed their lips together in a soft kiss. Axel's hands traveled up the blonde's back and he reciprocated the tenderness until he started losing patience. He licked the smaller boy's lower lip with just the barest touch of his tongue and he responded openly, parting his lips and allowing the redhead to deepen the kiss. Axel's hands slid under the blonde's shirt and he pulled upwards. The kiss was broken just long enough to toss the fabric away and rejoined before it hit the floor. They were together just long enough for a good taste before Axel broke away and leaned the blonde back so he could delve his face into his skin. Roxas' breathing picked up as the redhead nipped and pulled at his flesh gently, never enough to hurt but just enough to electrify.

When Axel couldn't bend his spine any further to get any lower on the blonde's torso he muttered under his breath and pulled the smaller boy to his chest abruptly. He scooted to the edge of the chair with the blonde clinging to him and stood, holding the boy securely. He used one hand to carefully move the lamp off the desk and swept his arm outward and knocked everything else that wasn't breakable away before lowering the blonde onto the mahogany surface. He didn't give the blonde time to protest, he'd clean it up later but he had more important matters to attend to. He immediately buried his face in the blonde's stomach and resumed his nibbling.

Roxas' hands raked through crimson follicles and he closed his eyes, feeling every kiss, every pull, and every lick the redhead would give him. Axel smoothed his hands over the blonde's thighs and felt them twitch under his touch, enticing him further. When he brushed over the blonde's blatant erection he heard the smaller boy let out a breath. The fingers in his hair retreated and the smaller boy pushed himself up on his elbows to look down at the redhead.

"Shouldn't we be doing this somewhere a little more private?" he asked quietly.

"The only one who gives a damn is out visiting her child, so no. I'm not waiting," the redhead growled at him and the blonde blushed. Axel stood straight and discarded his own shirt before putting his arms on either side of the blonde and shoving his face in the others. "Don't you get self-conscious on me; it's against the rules," he said. Roxas blinked, looking at him with unsure eyes but he nodded anyway.

Axel pulled Roxas' chin up and pressed their mouths together again. His hand slid down the smaller boy's torso and started to pull open the boy's belt. He wasted no time in undoing the button and zipper of his pants as well and the blonde's breath hitched when he felt the redhead's fingers on him under the cloth. Roxas let out a weak moan into Axel's mouth as the redhead stroked him a few times before taking his hand away to work on his own pants. Once they were open, the taller boy was quick to yank on the smaller's clothing and pull it away, leaving him completely exposed and blushing before him.

Then, Roxas did something unexpected. Axel was ready to grab him and start his pleasurable attack on him once again but the blonde shifted around and pulled open a drawer at an awkward angle and stuffed his hand inside. After a few minutes of searching, he produced a bottle and pressed the cold plastic into the redhead's chest. Axel took the little container of lube and quirked a confused brow at him. His savage need was forgotten for a moment and replaced with questions.

"Why was that…um, in there?" he asked suspiciously.

"Because this is where my computer is," the blonde said simply but his blush darkened.

"Why would that matter?"

"Because before you came around I would have to take care of my own problems," Roxas sputtered and looked away. Realization slowly worked its way through the fog and heat in the redhead's mind and he grinned. He tugged the blonde to the edge of the desk and laid his top half on him, pulling his embarrassed face to look at his. As the blonde turned a deeper shade of red, the grin widened. Axel had a hard time forcing his lips back over his teeth in order to kiss the blonde gently.

"So what kind of porn do you watch?" the redhead asked slyly, and the blonde put a hand over his face and shoved him away with a huff. Axel laughed and caught the wrist, pulling the hand away harmlessly and draping it over his shoulder. In order to hide his face and to distract his partner from the thought process Roxas hooked the arm around his neck and pulled the redhead's throat to his lips. Immediately Axel's face went slack and he had forgotten what he was talking about. The blonde licked a consistent line from his pulse to the redhead's ear lobe and flicked his tongue ring over the skin making Axel shiver.

The redhead reached behind himself and shoved his pants down, shifting his hips some to guide them along. He kicked them away and pressed his own heat against the blonde's. He pulled himself away from the nibbling and gave him a wink before opening the little bottle and doling out a bit of its contents onto his fingers. The smaller boy curled his bottom lip into his mouth as he watched the redhead's hand disappear and waited for the familiar pressure of him prepping the blonde. The redhead gave him a breathy chuckle. The pressure never came. Roxas was confused. Axel smiled at him, and it was one of fondness and love, rather than heavy with heat and lust.

"I love you Roxas, all the time," he said quietly, and the blonde blinked. "Now it's your turn, to love me back." Blue eyes widened in understanding. He was actually surprised on how quickly he was able to catch the redhead's meaning. His chest tightened and his heart began to race. Axel laid a trail of light kisses down the side of his face. The blonde peeked over the redhead's shoulder and down the line of his back and found Axel's hand gently working himself open for him. He blushed and buried his eyes into his shoulder. The redhead smiled and pressed another kiss into the smaller boy's hair. "Please?" he whispered softly. Suddenly, the redhead jerked forward and grunted, startling Roxas. "Sorry," he muttered instantly sounding a little breathless; the blonde quirked a brow at him.

He took another moment to think about what the redhead wanted him to do. He took another tentative glance down the taller boy's back and this time it wasn't so daunting. Axel continued planting tiny pecks against his face, coaxing him along. As he watched the redhead continue to work himself open, the blonde realized he must have prodded his prostate in order to make him jerk so suddenly. It was comical, but he couldn't bring himself to laugh about it. He wanted to make Axel jerk and grunt like that. He turned his head to meet Axel's lips. The redhead met him hungrily and Roxas pulled away, taking in his flushed appearance and his needy face. Axel really _did_ want this.

"…Okay," the blonde squeaked out and chewed on his lip, watching a smile replace itself across the redhead's face. He moved aside so the blonde could slip out from under him. He pulled his hand away from himself and handed the bottle of lube off to Roxas. The blonde had never been intimidated by their size difference before. He was used to being short, but looking at Axel completely naked and from behind was different. Though thin in his own right, Axel's entire body was simply bigger than Roxas.' His thighs were wider, his shoulders broader, his arms thicker, not to mention those _hips_. It also didn't help that he had his desk in the background for a size reference and the redhead towered over it like it was nothing while the blonde sometimes felt he should be sitting on phone books while in his chair. He really did hate that desk.

Axel smiled at him from over his shoulder, watching the blonde take him in with curious eyes. The redhead was used to being gawked at, but never by someone who he cared about and he could feel the heat rise to his cheeks the longer Roxas took to examine him. The blonde blinked away his stares and swallowed thickly looking at the little bottle in his hand. He cleared the distance between them and stood behind the redhead. He could barely see one jade eye peeking over his shoulder at him and the blonde blushed, reaching forward and running a hand over the redhead's phoenix. Axel relaxed some under the touch. The motion transferred to Roxas and the smaller boy set the bottle aside in favor of simply running his hands over the redhead's skin. The taller boy sighed and closed his eyes. Timid hands rubbed his back before moving lower and tracing a trail over his thighs towards his front and back again. Roxas could feel the goosebumps appear under his fingertips. He had a renewed interest in seeing what else he could make Axel do.

Roxas took up the bottle again and squeezed a portion of the liquid in his hand and worked it around in his fingers. He pulled on the redhead's hip to get him to move lower so he didn't have to stand on his tip toes for leverage. Axel kept himself perched on the desk by way of his elbows at his sides and squashing his stomach into the edge. He couldn't simply bend over, he had to drape himself off the edge and he fought the urge to start laughing at their height difference. The humor died away though when he felt Roxas' slicked hand touch his entrance, checking him. It wasn't there very long before the blonde ran his hand over his length, coating it. Axel's eye appeared over his shoulder again as he watched the blonde steady himself and press forward.

One arm shot forward and steadied himself against Axel's back when he felt his legs buckle from how tight the redhead was around him. Axel grunted and his eye twitched as Roxas eased himself inside. The effort left the blonde breathless and he had to stop to let himself adjust. It took him a minute. He let out a breath and looked up at the single jade eye looking back at him. He could see the redhead's cheek rise in a smile even if he couldn't see the motion itself. Roxas gave him a smile back. He must have been hesitating too long for Axel's liking because the redhead forced his muscles to clamp down and he moved his hips a little, startling the blonde into a gasp in sudden pleasure. Roxas glared at him and the cheek rose higher as the smile turned into a grin.

The smaller boy swallowed thickly again before starting to move. He was slow at first and kept his gaze fixed on the eye watching him even as it fluttered closed. Axel would emit a grunt every now and again, urging more from the blonde. Roxas had to really concentrate in order to keep himself under control so it wouldn't be over before it started, but as he moved faster and a new string of squeaks and grunts came from the redhead, he was finding it difficult. He panted and dug his nails into Axel's thigh and he pumped into him with added fervor. The tingling pleasure of climax was quick to pool under his navel and before he could stop himself, he released with a choked yelp. He immediately blushed in embarrassment at his apparent lack of stamina. He knew Axel hadn't finished and it was a terrible feeling to be so unsatisfying for him.

The redhead gave the smaller boy a moment to catch his breath before shifting his hips forward so the blonde slipped free. He immediately reached around and grabbed the boy's arm, pulling him around and shoving him up until he sat on the desktop again. Roxas wouldn't look at them even though they were face to face. Axel leaned on his palms at either side of the boy and peered into him. Blue eyes flicked to him briefly but fell away again. The redhead saw his concern and sighed before pushing the blonde back so he lay out on the desk again. He took up the bottle of lube and slicked his fingers again before leaning over the blonde and looking in his eyes. The blonde looked away and the redhead used his clean hand to pull his attention back before working a finger between his legs, probing him. The smaller boy gasped and writhed against his hand and when he was opened sufficiently, Axel pulled his hips down and thrust into him to clear the look of uncertainty away.

Blue eyes widened at the motion and a low moan cracked itself from the blonde's throat. Axel lowered himself on the boy and pressed their lips together, easing his pace since the unhappy face was gone. Roxas' arms snaked around him and he clung to the redhead's back, squeaking against his lips as he moved. The taller boy broke their kiss for breath and pressed his mouth to the blonde's neck, tasting the sweat as it broke out over his pulse. The desk shook with Axel's movements as his own climax grew. He angled himself a little differently and when he shot forward again Roxas let out a loud moan and his nails dug into the redhead's skin.

"A-Axel…" the blonde choked out and the redhead stopped, looking at him worriedly, afraid he had hurt him. Roxas' cheeks were flushed and he gasped for air but his eyes portrayed nothing but longing for the redhead and he smiled. "Do that again…" he breathed and Axel ginned. Their tongues met and their breathing sped up together around their mouths as Axel thrust into him with greater fervor. They didn't stay kissing for very long and Roxas broke it to continue his labored moans when the redhead hit just the right spot again and again.

It didn't take much longer for the climax to come for the redhead and he shuddered a groan out of his throat as he released. Roxas watched Axel's face through half lidded and glossy eyes. The redhead relaxed slowly and rested his forehead against the blonde's, opening his heavy eyes to a sea of glittering sapphires. They stayed like that until they could breathe normally again. They smiled weakly at one another and Axel rubbed their noses together with a grin. Roxas grinned at him in response and combed his fingers through whatever piece of hair he could reach. Jade eyes disappeared behind heavy lids and the redhead sighed against him.

"I love you, Axel," the blonde whispered and the redhead smiled peacefully.

"I love you too, Roxas."


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N:** Again, another time jumpy chapter. Sorry in advance but we're at the end of the line here, folks. Stick with it!

Chapter 43

After a quick shower and couple of doofy looks at one another, the redhead and the blonde made their way into the theater where and enormous picture of Riku in handcuffs scrolled by on the screen. Sora was bouncing around giddily on the couch down in front and Demyx, Zexion, and Marluxia were all hugging each other in a pile, talking excitedly. Axel blinked; it was uncommon to see such happiness in the manor. Roxas folded his arms and stared up at the screen, the air calmed when everyone noticed the blonde's placid face and tense stance.

"Roxxy?" Sora asked, "is there a problem?"

"Where is his father?" the blonde asked, not even trying to mask the annoyance in his voice.

"Apparently all the blame is being pushed on Riku for the latest developments," Marluxia said, "Xemnas is being hunted for the things he's done in the past and the car bomb but the police are pinning the kidnappings on Riku. The first time and this past time. Sora's told them everything but it's only until this last attempt that anyone has found any hard evidence. It was sloppy, they were desperate."

"Well that's fine but where the hell is his father? That's who I'm more concerned about," Roxas grumbled. "So long as he's free, I'm not going to sleep very well."

"I agree," Axel said. "Riku couldn't spit on a wall by himself if he was standing next to it, let alone orchestrate such a clean kidnapping like the first time around. Xemnas is the brains along with his money. Riku doesn't have shit. If Xemnas is sloppy and desperate the entire thing is sloppy and desperate."

"I should be more excited, but I'm not," the blonde added. "Sorry for ruining the festivities, feel free to continue."

"I would think you'd be happier…" Sora trailed with a slight frown.

"I'm happy enough, but not nearly satisfied enough. In fact, I'm motivated enough to call the authorities and make this a little more official, I'll be back," the blonde said and left quietly, leaving everyone confused. Axel blinked and watched him leave. The footage was muted so Sora turned on the sound again. The redhead sat with them and watched quietly, waiting for the blonde to return. Demyx and Zexion eventually left to make dinner and Marluxia figured he should be doing some legitimate work for his pay and he also left. Once the news story was over, Sora started to channel surf and they somehow ended up on an episode of _Spongebob Squarepants_.

"Wow, seriously?" Axel asked with a raised brow at the screen. Sora giggled.

"Yeah seriously. Spongebob is great."

"What the hell is _that_?" Roxas said abruptly, staring at the screen from behind them. They both startled and looked at him.

"You've never watched Spongebob?" Sora asked and the blonde shook his head.

"No, turn it back to the news, please. We should see a change here in a few," he said calmly and the brunette huffed, switching back. They rejoined the news team in mid sentence.

_"—audacity of some people that they think they can just take what they want whenever they want. To have the mindset of 'I have money, and I want yours, so I'm going to rape and pillage until I get it' is just barbaric_," a stout middle aged man barked and his large breasted blond co-anchor nodded in agreement.

"_I completely agree with you there, Frank_," she turned to the screen with a forced smile, "_we're actually going to rejoin David Buchano back at the courthouse where he has some interesting yet not very surprising news for us, David_?" The camera switched to a middle aged man with graying hair and he hesitated a second before smiling wide at the camera and speaking.

"_Thank you Julie. It appears that having one adversary in handcuffs is not enough for the main protagonist in this story and authorities have just reported that not ten minutes ago they received a call from none other than Roxas Meadows. The young millionaire voiced his concern that simply having Riku Goldsmith in custody will cool the fires underneath his father, Xemnas Goldsmith and his crimes will become secondary. Mr. Meadows wanted to make it clear that Xemnas is his bigger concern and has footed the bill for an additional eight million dollars to be placed on Goldsmith's bounty, bumping the total up to a staggering thirteen million. U.S. Marshalls have officially passed the buck to the F.B.I. fearing that Goldsmith will flee the country and—_" Sora muted the man again and both he and Axel turned to look at the blonde with wide eyes.

"Holy shit," the redhead said and Roxas smiled. "Eight million? Just like that?"

"Just like that," the blonde said. Sora giggled.

"Apparently you don't understand just how much money Roxxy has."

"Apparently not," Axel said with a light daze. That kind of money was unfathomable to him but he decided to just push the idea aside and take it for what it's worth. Roxas was serious about this, and rightfully so.

"Anyway, not that that's over with," Roxas said, dismissing the conversation, "I've decided I don't want to look at the photo albums you brought me," he continued, looking at the redhead.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"Because it won't change anything. So long as you are the way you are now, why should I care?"

"Suit yourself," the redhead said and smiled.

"That's what I'm working on anyway, suiting myself," the blonde said and reciprocated his smile.

"You guys are so cute," the brunette giggled. Marluxia came back into the theater quietly carrying a small box.

"Sora," he said quietly and held the package out to the brunette. Sora looked at him questioningly but took it and gave him a smile and the man left.

"Must be your phone," Roxas said and the other boy grinned before picking at the tape. Sure enough, after struggling against the bindings for a minute he pulled out the packaging for a shiny new Blackberry. The grin persisted and he threw his arms around Roxas' neck in a crushing hug before squealing and ripping apart the box. Axel noted on how the blonde hadn't bothered intercepting his phone and wrapping it nicely like he had done for the redhead. It made him feel a little fuzzy inside and he smiled.

"Oh man, so many buttons," the brunette said and stared at the device in his hands.

"I still have no idea what half of them do," Axel said with furrowed brows.

"Ninety percent of the thing is a keyboard, what else do you expect it to do?" the blonde asked confusedly. The redhead and brunette shrugged.

***

"Roooooxxyyyy…" Sora twittered and walked the halls of the manor, looking for his near twin. He, Roxas, Namine and Axel were the only ones in the manor that particular evening so it made looking for people a bit harder when you couldn't ask anyone else if they had seen them. The blonde was predictable though and sat behind his computer in his pajama's typing away with his glasses on. Sora giggled and went inside the study and shut the door behind him.

"Yes?" Roxas asked and stopped his work. He raised a brow at the brunette's suspicious demeanor. Sora was up to something.

"Can I take your picture?"

"Why?"

"So I can have a picture ID of you for my phone."

"…Is that entirely necessary?"

"No, but I would like it if I could. I already have one of Axel and everyone else."

"Fine," he sighed and sat back in his chair looking a little grumpy at the proposition. The brunette smiled and went around the desk, keeping one arm behind his back. He flicked through the tools on his phone and got the camera ready before tackling into the blonde and slamming a headband in his hair. Roxas yelped in surprise and Sora waited until he calmed enough and clicked a quick picture.

***

Axel took another swig of his iced tea, staring at his Biology notes. He held the bottle between his teeth and let it dangle out of his mouth as he turned the page. He hated Biology. He was much more into subjects like History where there's at least a decent story behind it. Biology had too many bugs, and dirt and not enough subjective reasoning. It is what it is, and nothing can change it, whereas History was just one big puzzle of events that changed according to society. His phone rattled around in his pocket, making him jump in surprise. He took another mouthful of iced tea which immediately came out of his nose when he caught sight of the picture Sora had sent him.

He choked against the liquid in his lungs and his nostrils burned profusely as he started having a violent coughing fit. He set the bottle aside and wiped at his face, scowling at the mess he had made though the picture had made it worth it. There on his screen, with a very annoyed face was Roxas. He had a deep scowl for a mouth and his brows were pushed together angrily but his cheeks were flushed as he glared at the camera from behind his glasses. But on his head, was the reason behind his anger. A pair of small brown cat ears sat amongst his blonde spikes. It was cutest damn thing the redhead had seen in a while and he grinned stupidly at the device before saving the picture and quickly typing out a response.

***

"I hate you sometimes, you know that?" Roxas muttered and ripped the ears out of his hair.

"Aw, but you'll give Axel such a boner with them on!" Sora giggled, the blonde blushed which only made Sora smile more. His phone let out a shrill annoying noise and he clicked the screen and started to laugh.

"What did he say?" the blonde asked.

"He said 'Yeah, should've gotten yellow ones.'"

"_Great,_" Roxas huffed and rolled his eyes before turning back to his computer.

***

"I think its sweet you don't want to look at them," Rikku giggled as Roxas passed the pile of albums off to her at school. The boy shrugged.

"What's it going to prove, really? All it'd do is reinforce the fact that he had problems before I ever knew he existed, you know? It obviously bothers him, he even told me he wouldn't even look at them with me, so I'll just take your word for it that it was bad."

"Well if it ever comes to a point where he really insists to show you, just give me a call, I'll bring them over," she said with a bright smile.

"I will. Thank you for your willingness to share, I appreciate it."

"No problem. Nothing personal, but I was doing it more for Axel than anything else. He was willing to share with you, which is really saying something seeing as he didn't really talk to anyone once he was out of rehab. He was really secluded and never returned our calls because we reminded him too much of the past. You changed him Roxas. For the better, and I really appreciate it as does Reno and Paine. We have Axel back and it's a pretty great feeling."

"I did?" Roxas asked in disbelief.

"Yes!" she giggled with a wide grin. "Now see, you make me want to show you what he was like just to prove to you how different he is now. You're making me want to nag you into looking at these," she said hefting the albums up. "Just take my word for it."

"Okay. It's strange though, I've never been told that I've changed anyone before. Well I have but it was more like I've been blamed for things rather than doing it right."

"Yeah well, you'll have that. Paine blamed me for ruining her life once I got to her stop doing meth, but whatever."

"Paine did meth?"

"Yep. Those pictures are in another book," she said with a sly grin. Roxas paled a little. He had seen documentaries on drugs before and the before and after picture of people who did methamphetamines were the most prominent and disturbing to him. "So what have you heard on the court room front?" she asked as they started walking towards the entrance.

"Nothing much, Riku's court date isn't for a while, but no one has made a move to pay his bail, which leads me to believe he must've lost contact with his father. Weather it was a willing separation on Xemnas' part or a forced one I couldn't say."

"Well, at least there's _some_ progress."

"Axel wants to pay off a guard to disappear for a while so he can visit him and beat the hell out of him."

"That sounds about right."

"I'm tempted to let him do it."

"For serious?"

"…Maybe," Roxas said with a smirk.

"I wonder how much it would take for a guard to do that."

"Probably not very much. I can't imagine their salaries are very high. They'd fall for anything."

"It's kind of freaking me out that you're talking so casually about this. Should I like... keep my mouth shut?"

"I doubt it'll happen, Rikku. But it is tempting."

"I suppose but beating the shit out of a spoiled idiot doesn't seem very satisfying to me."

"Well you would have had to grow up around Riku to understand."

"I guess so," she said trailing off at the end into another string of thought. They pushed through the front doors together and met up with Axel who was standing by a pillar smoking, waiting for them. Reno and Paine were talking with them and they all said their greetings before heading off towards the parking lot together.

"So are you guys heading to Seph's this Friday?" Reno asked to no one in particular. Axel and Roxas exchanged glances before shrugging.

"I know Sora was already invited formally by the boss himself," Axel said matter-of-factly. "Personally, I'd like the time away from the little booger, so I'll pass."

"There's nothing for me there if Axel isn't going," Roxas added. "Sorry girls. Oh, and Reno." Rikku giggled and Paine shrugged. Reno simply grinned.

"Is Sora really that bad?" the shorter redhead asked and quirked a brow.

"He's not bad on a personality level most days but he's _way_ too clingy for me," Axel huffed. "It's like having a toddler hang on you except it weighs an extra hundred pounds."

"Indeed," Roxas added in agreement.

"Interesting. I never minded clingy people. I'm pretty clingy myself," the shorter redhead said.

"Yes, yes you are," Paine added and there was a stint of laughter all around.

***

Namine was rushing around the house. It had been two months since Riku's arrest and his court date was drawing nearer, as was another important event. Fuu was coming home soon and Namine, Demyx and by proxy Zexion, were all frantic with preparations. The hired couple had moved in officially right down the hall from the nursery. Marluxia was usually off handling the rest of the house with as much help from Axel as the redhead could give. Sora simply got in the way most days and was often Zexion's relief when Demyx wanted to sit around and gush about babies and tiny clothes and other nonsensical things. Roxas was busy enough with work and school, and he had the job of sitting around paying the bills, like he usually did anyway.

Spring was in full swing and finals for Axel and Roxas' first semester together were fast approaching. They spent most of their free time studying in the blonde's office and now that they didn't need to take a snowmobile to get through the yard, they sometimes ended up together out in the aviary.

"Do you think woodchips would hurt your back if you were to lay on them?" the redhead asked, trying to sound as innocent as he could. He pushed a piece of shredded bark around with the toe of his shoe. Roxas looked up from his textbook with a disturbed face from across the little pond in the back corner of the indoor forest. Mary and Joseph could be heard in the distance having a squawking contest; Axel couldn't tell who was winning. The blonde blinked at his partner.

"Are you asking me what I think you're asking me?"

"…Of course not?" the redhead asked and cast him a sheepish grin. The blonde sighed and shook his head.

"I'd rather not have my ass be full of splinters thank you," he said and Axel laughed.

"You just want it to be full of me?" he blurted and covered his mouth, surprised he let that slip.

"Axel! That was crude…" the blonde squeaked and tried to hide a smile behind a piece of paper. It didn't last though and before long they both started laughing.

"Sorry… I totally didn't mean to say that," Axel apologized. Roxas rubbed his eyes with a smile and tried to focus on his studying. The redhead turned back to his as well and they sat for a long while simply reading and listening to the waterfall behind them.

The blonde hadn't made a move to repeat what they did together in his study. Whenever he thought about it he remembered his inadequacy and would push the idea away. Axel didn't force it on him. He was happy the blonde was brave enough to do it in the first place, regardless of the quality. It meant more to him than just satisfying his sexual appetite, and he could only hope that Roxas felt the same.

Sora's sexual appetite, on the other hand, was usually sated by weekly visits to Sephiroth's parties and the brunette would come back on Sundays, blissfully unaware of anyone else in the house. He would be lost in his own little satisfied world and wander around aimlessly until about Tuesday, when he would be back to normal. It was a blessing for the redhead and the blonde. It meant he would leave them alone for a good half of the week. What Sora still didn't want however, was to be pushed out of the bed at night and continued shoving himself under the covers with them when they tried to sleep even when he was having a 'good day.' If they were doing anything else, though, he would leave. At least he had learned that much.

There was a crunching of footsteps in between the trees a short distance away and Marluxia poked his head through the foliage. "Fuu is here," he said simply. He was dressed in his feminine apron again with gardening gloves and a sun hat that reminded Axel so much of his mother. He never said anything about it though and all he would have to do was realize it was _Marluxia_ and the feelings would fade. They quickly packed their studies away and hefted overstuffed book bags over their shoulders, following after the rosy man as he weaved through the aviary.

"I've never held a baby before," Roxas said when they stepped outside. Axel shrugged.

"Neither have I really, I'm not really all that keen on them. I prefer little kids you can push around and wrestle with, babies are too delicate."

"You mean you _don't_ want to be like Angelina Jolie and adopt half of Africa?" Marluxia asked over his shoulder. "That's what Demyx had me believe anyway," he said with a light chuckle. The redhead quirked and brow and Roxas simply shook his head with a palm on his forehead.

"Angelina Jolie also has the capability to have her _own_ children, that doesn't mean I want to squeeze any of those out of Roxas either," the redhead chided and received a punch in his arm for his statement from a very perturbed little blonde. He laughed. When they reached the house all three of them winced at the high pitched squealing coming from Demyx and Sora further in the house. Zexion quickly headed down the stairs and nearly collided with the trio.

"Hide me," he said hurriedly before pushing past them, almost running away. Axel quirked a brow and followed Roxas up the stairs. They dropped their books off in the redhead's room before peeking around into the nursery. Marluxia bid a hasty goodbye, wishing them luck as he headed off to dig around in the dirt as he often liked to do. Demyx, Sora, and Namine were all standing around a bassinet cooing and poking at the baby inside. Demyx was the first to notice the pair entering and squealed happily and threw himself at Roxas, squeezing the life from him.

"OhmygodRoxxy!" he said and held the boy at arms length, "babies!"

"Plural?" the blonde asked with a horrified face.

"No! Just in general!" he chirped. Axel quickly understood why Zexion was trying to hide. The sandy blonde turned and looked at him and the redhead braced himself as the man launched himself forward, wrapping him in a bone crushing hug. "You're going to have babies with Roxxy right?" he asked giddily and looked up at him with sparkling eyes.

"Uhh…" was all Axel could think to say.

"Demyx!" Roxas barked and the man giggled, sounding too much like Sora for the redhead's liking. "Please! Calm down." Demyx released the redhead and skittered away back to the bassinet. Namine had to bat his hands away so she could pick Fuu up. So instead of prodding at the infant, the man went to pester Sora who was happy to squeal right along with him. The girl, thankfully, was calm. Peaceful looking, even.

"She looks so much better without the wires and plastic everywhere," Namine said and smiled at her brother. Roxas smiled back and peered down at the little pink bundle that reminded Axel of a burrito more than it did anything else; maybe an oversized bean or something equally as oblong. Fuu was mostly hairless, and looked like a baby. Very rarely did the redhead ever see a picture of an infant and say 'that looks like so-and-so!' because most infants to him looked pretty nondescript. Fat cheeks, hardly any eyebrows, and tiny everything else. Yep, she was a baby all right. He did notice though, that her hair, what little there was, was silver just like her father's. It was disturbing in a way, but he figured that being raised outside of his influence would make her be someone completely different so he didn't have to worry about a repeat in personality types.

"…Demyx," came a timid voice from out in the hall. It was Zexion, peeking around the doorframe suspiciously. The sandy blonde twittered a squeal and rushed to him, pulling him in the room. Axel fought the urge to laugh at the slate-haired man's misfortune as the sandy blonde squished their faces together and cooed at him about adopting children together while doing a little dance in his place. Zexion hid behind his hair and turned a light shade of pink. He had to put a hand out to keep the other man away so he could speak. "I only wanted to ask if you were going to fix lunch, not… get into all of this," he said a little breathlessly.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about food," Demyx said.

"I'll help!" Sora squealed and they both skipped out of the room together. Zexion sighed.

"Tough subject?" Axel asked and the man nodded.

"I…don't even know how to respond to him when he's like that."

"He'll calm down in a couple days," Namine said and swayed in her place a little, watching Fuu with a small smile.

"I know, and that's what keeping me sane," Zexion responded and took his leave.

"I wish mom and dad were here to see her…" the girl said and her eyes watered some, but the smile stayed. Roxas watched his sister carefully. Namine glanced up at him and sniffled, wiping her eyes. "Sorry," she said quickly and her brother shrugged.

"We'll get him," he reassured her and she nodded. Axel wondered if Xemnas was keeping tabs on the infant, and if he knew she was home. He doubted it, but the thought was still there. Namine continued to wipe at her eyes and took Roxas' wrist in one hand, pulling in over to a rocking chair in the corner of the room. He sat like she probably wanted him to and Fuu was lowered to him.

"Hold her for a minute, I'll be right back," Namine said and Roxas pulled his legs up into the chair with him and took the baby gently. His sister made her way into the bathroom and closed the door. The blonde looked at odds with what to do with the infant and he held her like she was going to fall apart. He cast the redhead a wide-eyed, unsure look and Axel smiled.

"Not your thing?" he asked.

"I'm just not… very versed," the blonde responded and quirked a brow at him.

"Don't look at me; I'm just as clueless as you are."

"I suppose I would have some instinct if it were my own, right? Maybe? Namine seems to be dealing well enough. She hasn't been very active lately and she's behaved herself. Maybe she's taking this seriously, I honestly don't know."

"It's a little late to doubt her, so I say we just go with the flow on this one. Demyx is mother enough for about ten babies, judging by his energy. She'll be fine."

"True, I feel bad for Zexion though, but I suppose if it bothered him too much they wouldn't have been together for so long."

"Yeah," Axel said. The redhead watched Roxas from a distance as the blonde's eyebrows rose when Fuu scrunched her face a little and opened her eyes just enough to show she was awake. Her face contortion continued.

"Okay if you start crying I have no idea what to do for you, so stop it," the blonde said. Axel snorted. Namine came back through the door, into the room and smiled at her brother. He looked at her and held the infant up. "She's awake."

"Yeah?" the sister asked and took her child from him. She smiled. "I should probably feed her, if you two don't mind," she said. They shrugged and Roxas got out of her chair before leading Axel away.

"Did you want the door closed?" Roxas asked and she nodded, settling back in her seat.

"Please, I don't need Sora freaking out," she said quietly and Roxas laughed a little before pulling it closed.

***

Axel didn't like babies, that much was clear. Fuu was only making matters worse by crying. At least she waited until finals were over before throwing tantrums on a regular basis which Axel was thankful for. It also didn't help that his room was across the way from Namine's and thus, the nursery. The redhead groaned and buried his head under the pillows as the child across the way continued her fit. He could hear Demyx and Namine fussing which only added to the noise. He needed a distraction before he decided to go out back and play baby soccer. He headed into Roxas' room and didn't give much warning before burrowing under the blonde's covers, startling his partner out of his book.

"Having a problem?" the blonde asked. The lump under the blankets shifted and Axel grumbled into the mattress. "I see," Roxas added, pretending he understood whatever the redhead had said. He turned a page calmly. Axel snaked a hand out and pinched his rump from the side and the smaller boy twitched.

"Entertain me," the redhead demanded.

"With what exactly?"

"…Do you want me to answer that honestly?"

"Will you ever give my ass a break?"

"Probably not."

"Then no, I don't need an honest answer."

"You're so unfair."

"I'm sorry."

"No you're not."

"I know."

"But that's what couples do; they make loooove aalll the tiiiiime," Axel whined dramatically.

"Alright but when my colon falls out where will we be?"

"At the hospital hopefully, that sounds terrible."

"Indeed it does," the blonde said. Axel huffed and pushed himself up until his face was uncovered. He hoped Roxas would notice his motion enough to look at him so he could do his best imitation of Sora but much to his chagrin, the blonde was engrossed in his book. He shoved himself out of the blankets and made his way to the front of the smaller boy and pushed himself into his lap so he could rest his face on the blonde's stomach. Roxas obliged him and sat back, and the redhead curled his arms behind him in a hug. He felt the book sit against his hair and realized his just offered himself up as an impromptu table. He tried to ark his eyes enough to read the title and he realized it was in French, making him grumble about damn preppy schools and their fancy book learning. The blonde turned another page.

"Roxxy!" came a whining squeal from a familiar brunette and Sora appeared in the doorway with a frown. Roxas sighed impatiently. Couldn't he just sit around and read?

"Yes?" he asked.

"Namine is doing gross things again."

"Oh really? Is she feeding Fuu again?"

"No, she made me set up her… weird machine."

"Which one would that be?"

"The… you know the one with the pump and the plug and the electricity."

"Her breast pump?"

"Yuck, yes," he spat with his tongue sticking out.

"How unfortunate, I'm sorry."

"Ew," Axel added and Sora nodded in agreement.

"Need I remind you both that we were all infants at one point and probably went about the same process with our mothers?" Roxas asked.

"Yeah but it's not your best friend's sister you have to deal with," Sora said and shuddered. "It's creepy."

"True, but the principle is the same."

"Yeah… I have to agree with Sora on this one," the redhead said and yawned into Roxas' abdomen. "Sooooraaa…" the redhead whined and kicked his feet a little against the comforter.

"Yeeeaaah?" Sora whined back.

"Roxas is being boooooring. Make him stoooop."

"Okay," he said and giggled.

"Stay away from me," Roxas barked and glared at the approaching brunette. Axel held him in place and he felt the book close harshly against his scalp, he grinned.

"Hey Axel, do you know where Roxxy's most ticklish spot is?"

"Sora I swear—" the blonde started before Axel cut him off.

"No, as a matter of fact, I do not."

"Well you're in the perfect place."

"Oh yeah?" he asked and buried his nose into the blonde's shirt. Roxas grunted against him. The blonde glared daggers at his friend and Sora laughed before skipping away, pulling the door closed behind him. Axel nudged the fabric out of the way with his chin and pressed his lips to the smaller boy's navel and blew obnoxious raspberries into his skin. The book went flying and the blonde lurched forward, grabbing handfuls of red as he burst into laughter. After a few minutes to suffocating himself behind the noise, Axel let the blonde relax. "I don't even want to know how Sora knows that," the redhead said and grinned, pulling the fabric back to where it was and resettling himself against his partner. It took a moment for Roxas to catch his breath again and he wiped at his eyes.

"Entertained enough?" he asked and Axel nodded. "Good, because you're never allowed to do that again."

"That's okay, because it was _really_ awkward and you pulled my hair something awful," he said and tugged a hand out from under the other and rubbed his scalp.

"Sorry, it's a reflex," Roxas apologized and shooed his hand away before combing his fingers through Axel's hair gently. "Well, I lost my book. Now what?"

"I'm about ready to take a nap, honestly," the redhead yawned and nuzzled against Roxas' stomach again. The fingers in his hair never ceased and he let his eyes droop closed.

***

There was a triumphant cheer and a bowl of popcorn went flying through the air as Riku's conviction was read. Guilty, on several accounts including, two counts of kidnapping, three counts of false imprisonment, eight counts of rape, and the prosecution even managed to sneak a murder in there. He was finished. Riku was going to rot for life. The trial was extensive and no one in the house cared to watch most of it until the conviction rolled around and they could have a real reason to celebrate. It had taken nearly six months since his arrest to get to this point and no one had seen nor heard anything from Xemnas. It was September again and warmer than usual. Axel had officially known Roxas for a year and he grinned at the blonde as everyone else hugged and tossed popcorn around.

"Feel better?" he asked and the blonde smiled.

"I do. It's just the first step though, and I'm ready for the rest."

"Your birthday is next month, do you really think we'll be able to get it all put to away like you wanted?"

"I don't know. I hope so, that'd be nice."

"I'm sure someone will find him," Axel said and pulled the smaller boy to him. Roxas settled into straddling the redhead's lap and rubbed his cheek a few times before pressing their lips together in a satisfying kiss. The redhead hugged the blonde tightly and Roxas rested his head on the other's shoulder for a moment. He relaxed back and took Axel's hand and pressed it to the front of his pants. The redhead was startled to find a very firm erection pressing back against his palm and he quirked a brow at the blonde. Roxas tilted his head to the side and gave him a thoughtful face.

"Is it weird that I get off on the thought of him rotting away by himself for the rest of his life?" he asked.

"Not at all, personally I think it's just about the sexiest damn thing I've ever heard," the redhead responded and grinned.


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Days turn to weeks.

Weeks turn to months.

Months turn to years.

Graduations. Birthdays. Anniversaries.

Every passing day grows just a little bit easier.

Until everything snaps.

It was the morning of Axel's twenty-fourth birthday. He groaned loudly against a violent tugging on a piece of his hair and even before he opened his eyes he knew exactly who it was. He reached up and gently removed the five year old hand out of his locks and let Fuu latch onto his finger instead. His eyes peeled open and he noticed Roxas sleeping away next to him like nothing was happening. He took a breath through his nose before pushing himself up on his elbows and turning to look at the little girl to his other side. He smiled. She grinned at him.

"Birthday," she states.

"That's right, thank you," he says groggily and takes a peek at the clock. He sighs at the ungodly hour and wonders where little kids get the energy to be up at six thirty in the morning. Didn't she know he went to bed at two? She pulls on his finger a few times and his attention is drawn back to her. He tries to keep his smile as he sits up and she takes that as an open invitation to crawl in the bed with them. She's still dressed in her little pink night gown and settles in against Roxas who grunts and wakes up slowly with the added weight against him.

"Fuu?" he asks, his voice laden with sleep. She looks at him with wide umber eyes.

"Uncle Axel. Birthday," she states again and folds her hands daintily in her lap and looks up at Axel expectantly. The blonde rubs at his eyes and slowly shoves himself up and groans when he sees the time, flopping back into the pillow with a huff.

"Go wake up your mother please, it's too early to be up yet," he grumbles at her through the fabric and she looks at him then back at Axel. The redhead smiles and helps usher her out of the bed before sliding in next to Roxas again. "Happy Birthday," he groans and buried his face into the taller man's clavicle. The redhead hummed a thank you and hugged him close, inhaling the smell of his hair. Axel's hair had grown considerably in this time and he kept it tapered back in varying lengths and pieces the longest of which fell to the middle of his back. Roxas however, kept his pretty much the same.

"It's Saturday, right?" the redhead mumbled against a lipfull of blonde fluff.

"Mhm…" Roxas hummed back.

"Want to come to the range with me?"

"When it's not six thirty in the morning, yes."

"M'kay," the redhead confirmed and settled back against the pillows. They were allowed to sleep for another two hours before Sora pushed their door open, carrying an enormous stuffed panda under his arm. The panda was the Roxas/Axel substitute for when he slept nowadays. He walked sloppily to the side of their bed and pushed his foot into the mattress and rocked the entire bed back and forth. Roxas peeked over Axel's shoulder and immediately ignored him and let his face fall back into the pillow.

"Wakey wakey, lovies!" the brunette said with feigned energy. He was just as sleepy as they were but a certain silver haired five year old decided he needed to wake up with the rest of the house, therefore, they had to wake up as well. He kept shaking the bed and eventually Axel got the hint and rolled over, glaring acid from his eyes at the brunette.

"Go away," he grumbled. An arm smoothed over his waist as Roxas cuddled up against his back. Sora grinned.

"Nope, time to wake up it's after eight," he said and Roxas' hand turned upward to extend his middle finger before falling back into place. "Charming," he added with a smile.

"Thanks, that's what I like to think too," the blonde said in retort against Axel's skin. The redhead smirked.

"Fine whatever, we're awake. Leave," Axel demanded and the brunette hesitated. "Out," he said sternly and Sora gave a little sashay of his hip and a stuck up huff before sauntering out, dragging his panda behind him. The redhead groaned and muttered a string of threats against the brunette's life.

"Killing is illegal outside of active militant combat, Ax," Roxas warned and rubbed his partner's stomach.

"So I've been told," he grunted in response and pushed himself up to a sitting position. He pulled the covers off and looked over at the blonde who was still splayed out and starting to steal the warm spot where he had been laying. He held his hand up high before giving the shorter man a firm swat on the butt and pushed himself out the bed before the blonde could react. Roxas didn't move, he simply groaned and reached behind him to rub his abused cheek.

"Abusive…" was all he could mutter and the redhead laughed. They no longer slept in separate bedrooms. In fact, the wall between Roxas' bedroom and the next had been knocked down to create one giant suite complete with an enormous closet and a luxurious bathroom. The décor was no longer mostly white with mahogany furniture either; it had incorporated a great deal of red and black variations in as well. The carpeting was a deep grey, while their bed linens tended to be black and white. The chairs were red as well as two of the walls and most of the accessories and artwork. All of the furniture had been sanded down and restained to a rich charcoal. Axel padded across their grayscale geometric rug and went into the bathroom. After he went about his usual routine of basic hygiene, he left again to find Roxas sitting up and blearily looking around the room.

"What're you looking for?" the redhead asked.

"Pearl," the blonde responded. The cat had come to sleep with them on a permanent basis and usually didn't leave before they were both out of the bed. Alabaster had been put to sleep a couple years prior like larger dogs needed to be after they lived their short lives. Axel's hermit crabs had long since died and he no longer bothered with a terrarium. The blonde shrugged after not being able to find the animal and shuffled out of the bed. He hugged the redhead on his way to the bathroom and gave him a kiss. Axel smacked his lips together with the taste of the other's morning breath.

"Mmm, tastes like skanky whores," he said and received a punch in the gut before he was left standing by himself. He laughed under his breath and went to get dressed.

***

"Finally!" Demyx said with a sigh when Axel rounded the corner into the kitchen. "Look at this!" he said and held out the newspaper to him. The redhead scanned the front page and his eyes widened. There, in black and white print, was an enormous picture of Xemnas looking over his shoulder at something off camera. The picture itself wasn't what was important, though. The headline screamed "_FOUND AND LOST_." Axel quickly sat in a stool and started reading.

The article that followed the picture recapped the history of why Xemnas was being hunted and the redhead felt a lump in his chest. After that, there was a long description of what amounted to the incompetency of police officers. They had captured him apparently along with Lexaeus and Saïx several states away. What the idiots didn't do was call for backup when they should have because apparently they put up a fight and Xemnas managed to get away with an officer's handgun while leaving the other two in the dust. He hasn't been seen since.

"After all this time… they had him, and they let him get away?" the redhead asked, his voice going cold even though his blood was boiling. "We don't see a shred of evidence that he's even still alive and then all of a sudden, this!? What the fuck is wrong with people!?" he yelled and tossed the paper aside angrily. Demyx looked upset as well but didn't say anything; he simply let the redhead run his course. "And you wonder why I go to the range anymore," he said to the other man, "it's because of idiots like them, glory hogs, that I even started getting into it in the first place. God damn 'law enforcement' my ass."

"What about your ass?" Roxas asked as he came in the kitchen. Axel shoved the paper at him angrily and ran his fingers through his hair; he pulled the lengthy follicles over his shoulder and started to comb his fingers through it more, trying to calm himself. The blonde took a moment to read before throwing the paper aside as well. "What the _fuck_?! Seriously?" he yelled.

"I know!" Axel agreed. "It's like… he hides somewhere for almost six fucking years and then all of a sudden he's all like 'bam!' right in your face again. What the hell does he hope to accomplish by showing up _now_? His goons were arrested and his son is in jail, so what the hell does he have left?"

"…Me," the blonde said and Axel turned to him with a questioning face. "I'm still here. That has to bother him enough. Possibly Fuu and Namine too." The redhead sighed and shook his head before standing and pulling the blonde into his chest.

"He's not taking you from me again." He squeezed the smaller man into his skin and Roxas held tight. Namine pushed the door open to the kitchen and held it open with one arm while Fuu ran in and they both stopped, looking at the pair with curious faces. Without giving them the chance to ask what was wrong, Axel reached behind himself and held out the newspaper to Namine. She paled when she saw the picture. She paled even more when she read the article.

"Why?" she asked with pleading eyes. "Why now?"

"Your guess is about as good as ours," Roxas said, pulling away from Axel reluctantly. Fuu skittered over to him and he hefted her up instinctively and she sat upright on his arm, watching diligently. "I hope it wasn't intentional and he just happened to escape without any real plan."

"I hope so too," the sister said and held a hand to her chest. Demyx turned his attention away and went about making breakfast for everyone. Zexion, Marluxia and Sora eventually joined them and they had the same reaction as everyone else to the news.

***

"You have _got_ to be the hottest short guy I have ever seen, Rox," Axel said with a grin and the blonde lined his stance carefully, flicking the redhead a glance before unloading all seventeen shots from his Glock into the paper figure seventy-five yards away. The redhead leaned on the partition between them, holding his chin in his palms and smiling wide at him. The blonde raised a brow at him when he was finished.

"Is that so?" Roxas asked and Axel nodded with his smile persisting.

"Yep."

"Okay."

"Just okay? I don't get a steamy kiss or anything?" the redhead asked sounding dejected. The blonde let the empty clip slide free from his handgun and quickly inserted another magazine. He pressed a large button and a new paper figure appeared while the other one was pulled aside.

"Nope," he answered simply before lining up and firing off the new ammunition. Axel waited patiently for him to finish before speaking again.

"Aw come on, it's my birthday," he said and puckered his lips like a fish, waiting. The blonde rolled his eyes at his partner before setting the gun aside and giving Axel a quick peck. "Oh you're so passionate," the redhead added sarcastically. Roxas ignored him and pressed a different, but equally as big button and both paper figures zoomed down the line and came to rest in front of his station. The redhead rounded the partition and judged the blonde's work. "Why do you always go off to the left like that?" he asked pointing to a splattering of bullet holes at seemed a little skewed.

"Because _I'm_ off to the left like that. I always have been, whenever I stand I lean to the left, and you know why."

"Well stop it, gimpy," the redhead chided and received an elbow in the ribs, he laughed. "Okay no seriously, we should ask Auron what you can do to help that."

"I'm _not_ that off," Roxas said and folded his arms, looking at the paper figures. "I just have to aim more purposefully to the right, I guess."

"You try that, my turn," the redhead said and planted a kiss in his hair before going back around to his own side. Roxas replaced his magazine before unclipping the used figures and sending the line back for more. Axel's figure was at the farthest distance possible, a full one hundred yards down the concrete range. He had started getting into guns as a means to protect what he had left. He had contacted Auron after his twenty-first birthday and asked what he had to do in order to become proficient in the art of shooting. It was almost as if he was taking up where Xigbar had left off. Roxas had started up only a year prior and their level of skill was drastically different from one another. The redhead lined himself up quickly and emptied his magazine down the range. He smacked the button that drew the target closer and he smirked. Roxas peeked around the dividing wall and groaned at the accuracy of his shots, forming a tight cluster in the middle of the figure's chest.

"Fucking show off," the blonde swore and went back to his own.

***

"I'm so damn old," Demyx said and laid his head on the countertop. Zexion quirked a brow at him.

"How do you figure?"

"I'm going to be forty in two months. That's how I figure," the sandy blonde huffed.

"So? Marluxia is forty-three."

"Yeah but _you're_ still two years younger than I am and that makes _me_ feel _old_."

"I apologize."

"Ugh, Nami is going to be twenty-five this year, oh my god…"

"You're only beating yourself up more; I suggest you stop."

"But Zexxy…" Demyx whined and heaved an overly dramatic sniffle. The door to the kitchen was pushed open suddenly and Fuu collided into Demyx's leg.

"Uncle Dem. Flowers," she stated, looking up at him with wide glittering eyes. He tried to push his early mid-life crisis aside and picked the girl up with a grunt.

"…Oh my back," the sandy blonde muttered and shifted the girl around on his hip. Zexion snorted.

"Stop being dramatic," he said. Demyx stuck out his bottom lip in a pout before making his way out of the room with the girl. He kept his protruding lip out and made a face at her and she giggled and tried to imitate.

'Flowers' amounted to what all five year olds see spring up out of the mud after the spring thaw: bright yellow dandelions. Marluxia was good about keeping the weeds away from most of the lawn but he intentionally left a patch, just for Fuu, even if it threatened the livelihood of the rest his garden. She wiggled her way out of Demyx's grasp and made her way to the tuft of weeds and began picking them. When she had enough she brought them over to Demyx who set out to weave them together and make a crown for her. Just as he set the completed ring in her hair the back door flew open and Roxas and Axel stepped outside.

"I still say you're being too serious about this, I honestly don't think he has the gumption to come here," the blonde insisted and Axel shrugged.

"I wasn't careful enough the last two times, Rox. I'm not going to make those same mistakes again."

"You couldn't have prevented them to begin with! How were you not careful enough when you weren't anywhere near me?"

"Exactly, I wasn't with you. I should have been," the redhead said and pulled out his cigarettes and slid one between his lips. He lit up and blew a mouthful of smoke away from the blonde. "It's not going to happen again. It can't. I won't let it."

"…Fine. But I get a copy of the keys and the permits and I don't want you anywhere near them unless there's an emergency," Roxas said and crossed his arms, furrowing his brows together in a glare. Axel leaned forward and kissed his forehead.

"Thanks."

"What's up?" Demyx asked.

"Axel wants a…" the blonde looked at Fuu who was watching them with expectant eyes. "A cabinet like Xigbar had," he finished, carefully avoiding any talk of weaponry and firearms around the girl.

"Oh. Why is that a problem?"

"Because I'm being too uptight about it really. I just don't feel comfortable with it all the way," the blonde admitted and the redhead smirked.

"Well so long as Axel is careful like Xiggy, then it shouldn't be a problem. You grew up around them too, you know," the sandy blonde said and Roxas shrugged.

"I know, I know…" he said and rubbed his brows with a sigh. Fuu decided she needed to be a part of whatever they were talking about and ran over to Axel and held her arms up to him. The redhead quirked a brow before blowing his lungful of carcinogens away from her and waved his hand through the smog, clearing it away before snuffing his cigarette out and picking her up. She hugged his neck and laid her head on his shoulder automatically.

"I know they make you uncomfortable but you're not the only one in this family that I want to protect, Rox," Axel said and laid his cheek in the girl's hair. "Sorry, but I won't be able to sleep until he's caught and I want them here, even if he never comes. Once he's gone, I'll get rid of them."

"Okay…" the blonde said and took a deep breath, "okay," he repeated. "I'll see if I can find the keys to Xigbar's for you before I put in an order for another one. You'll have to stock it though; I'm not getting involved with that."

"Deal."

"You know I'm only doing this because it's your birthday, right?"

"Not because you love me or because you love Fuu?" the redhead asked and grinned. The girl lifted her head, not knowing what they were talking about but watched Roxas with a determined face. "Give him a smile, Sweetness," Axel urged and Fuu gave Roxas a toothy grin as well. "See?"

"Using children as a means to get your way, even after the fact, is totally unbecoming."

"Yeah but she's too cute for her own good anyway, may as well take advantage of her natural talents."

"Uncle Axel," Fuu stated.

"Hmm?"

"Old," she said and poked him in the chest. Roxas held his sides as he burst into laughter. Axel's grin died and he sighed.

"Not so cute now, is it?" the blonde asked and the redhead shot him a glare.

"M'not that old yet," he grumbled and Fuu looked at him confusedly. "I think she only says that because the only other points of reference for her are you and Sora and you guys both still look like you're twelve," he jabbed.

"Is that so? Well what does that say about your taste in men, then?" Roxas said defiantly and crossed his arms again. Axel glared further, causing the blonde to grin.

"Okay fine I get it, I'm old," the redhead sighed. He set Fuu down and Demyx took the girl's hand with a smile before leading her inside. Once the door was closed Axel immediately grabbed the blonde and pulled him close. He pushed the shorter man's chin up and pressed their lips together roughly, tugging the blonde's bottom lip in between his teeth. Roxas answered by pushing himself up on his toes and wrapping his arms around the redhead's neck. Axel smoothed his hands down the other's back and swung them both to the side, dipping the blonde low in a very cliché movie kiss. It was comical, and the blonde laughed some until he caught the pained glint in the redhead's eyes.

"Did you hurt your hip, old man?" he asked curiously and smoothed a piece of hair behind the redhead's ear. Axel smirked and stood them upright again, shaking his head.

"Just… really worried."

"Stop it. We don't even know where he is."

"That's the worst part. At least if we knew he was in the area, I'd just take the Ducati and go prowling for him."

"Well you may be a little too old for the Ducati, how about a Rascal?"

"I'm going to punch you so hard in the dick it'll come out your nose, like… you don't even know," the redhead threatened around his smile. He continued smiling until he was breaking out into a light laugh, "could you imagine chasing after someone in a _Rascal_? Seriously?"

"I can, and that's what makes it so funny," the blonde said and joined his chuckling.

***

Over the course of the next few weeks, Axel managed to get the gun cabinet he wanted and set it up in his and Roxas' closet next to their safe. It needed a combination as well as a key to open and even though it'd be tougher for unwanted people to get in, it was also more time consuming for the redhead. True to his word though, he didn't fuss with it much. He simply unloaded some ammunition inside as well as a couple of handguns and left it at that. He was tempted to have a shotgun in there but then he considered the probability of a grizzly bear trying to break in and decided it would be overkill.

No new news sprung up on Xemnas and it was a mixed blessing. On the one hand, that meant he wasn't doing anything horribly important, but on the other hand, that also meant he wasn't caught yet.

Axel yawned and stretched back in his chair. He felt his spine give a pleasing pop in a few places, telling him he had been sitting at his desk hunched over his laptop for too long. He itched his face idly and looked out the window at the bright sunshine and wished he could go outside and roll around in the grass. Then he reminded himself that he was a big boy and could do what he wanted so he stood and closed his laptop.

Spring and summer were his two favorite seasons and the weather in April was simply magnificent. Outside, Sora was helping Marluxia dig around in the dirt and pull up weeds while in the distance Namine was pushing Fuu on the swing set. He smiled at the peace and wondered how long it would last. Hopefully Xemnas would hold off until Fuu started school in the fall, so there would be a chance everything could go down without her having to witness it. Or he could simply let himself be captured, that was also a brilliant idea, but one the redhead doubted would happen. He was starting to feel paranoid on most days, and was having a hard time focusing on his work. He needed a vacation.

"Hey girls," he said brightly as he approached the swing set. Namine smiled at him and Fuu tried to wave as she zoomed past. "Have you finished your portfolio?" he asked the mother and she shrugged.

"Almost. I'm just inking the last few and getting some color together. I hope to have it done by the end of the week. When did you want me to start?"

"Whenever you're ready, I'll even let you do one on me to start off," he said and Namine laughed.

"You're brave, really brave, or stupid, I can't tell which."

"Brave sounds better on paper, we'll go with that. How does that sound, Fuu? Should I let your mom draw pictures on me?"

"Yeah," she stated as she whizzed by.

"What should she draw?" he asked.

"Magnolia."

"A magnolia? How does she know what a magno—Marluxia," he said and looked behind him at the rosy man who was busy pushing the soil around in a bed of Cosmos underneath the magnolia tree.

"She picks things up like you wouldn't believe," Namine said. "We were just walking by them to come out here and already she's talking about the different flowers she heard just in passing. It's nuts."

"Now see, I was never that smart when I was her age. There must be something in the water up here that makes the people so smart and short, I swear," the redhead noted and crossed his arms. Namine giggled.

"Not everyone is short."

"Marluxia and I are the tallest ones here and he doesn't even live here and I didn't grow up here. Explain _that_ one to me."

"You have a point but I don't think it works that way. Xigbar and my father were pretty tall."

"True, but they didn't grow up here either."

"Semantics, semantics," she said and waved a hand dismissively with a smile. Axel grinned and walked off to the side of the swing set and laid himself out in the grass, watching the clouds go by. He was allowed just enough time to get comfortable before Sora's face appeared above his looking down at him with a raised brow.

"Uncle Sora!" Fuu called and the brunette turned away from the redhead to look at her. The girl launched herself from the swing and landed on her feet with a heavy '_thud_.' He grinned and clapped for her a little before turning back to Axel.

"Lazy bum, what're you doing?" he asked. The redhead scowled.

"Being lazy, obviously, is there a problem with that?"

"Roxxy is looking for you."

"Oh yeah?" the redhead asked and patted his pockets for his Blackberry, "I didn't hear my phone go off… because I don't have it. Oops," he said when he couldn't find it in his pants. "Okay, okay I'm going," he sighed and begrudgingly pulled himself off his green mattress. Fuu was coming towards them.

"Uncle Sora."

"Yes Sweetcakes?"

"Flip."

"What right now?" the brunette asked with a light frown. The girl nodded and he sighed before heading past Axel. The redhead didn't care enough to watch Sora's antics but he must have done it well enough because he could hear Fuu giggling and asking for him to do another as he walked away. He went into the study but was surprised to find it empty. He strained his ear and could hear a television in the distant reaches of the house and he determined it was coming from upstairs. Roxas was sitting up in their bed with his shirt off and watching the television that folded down from the ceiling intently. He looked concerned. Axel closed the door behind him as he entered.

"Don't freak out," the blonde said without looking at him. Immediately, the redhead was suspicious.

"No guarantees," he said simply and Roxas reached over and clicked the television off so he couldn't see. He held his arms open for his partner and Axel kicked off his shoes and crawled into the bed and pushed his face into the blonde's stomach like he often did, curling his arms around his waist in a snuggle. "Are you naked?" he asked when he couldn't feel the tops of any pants.

"Yep."

"Uh… okay, why?"

"Because it's my damn house, that's why. I want you to make love to me before I tell you the news."

"You're pregnant."

"Yes, I'm going to be the Octo-mom."

"Wow, better get ready with baby shopping then," the redhead said and laid his ear against the smaller man's navel, "actually it just sounds like you're digesting."

"I am, I just finished my lunch. How very astute of you."

"That's how I got my degree, actually. I just winged it with witty commentary and careful observation and slept with my teachers."

"Ah yes, I wondered where the herpes came from."

"Yeah that was from that whore of an Econ professor. He was a total slut."

"Was that Mr. Greene? I thought I saw a picture of you on his desk."

"The one with the whipped cream on my nipples? That's the guy."

"I always knew he had a thing for gingers."

"Did you just call me a ginger?"

"I did."

"…That's a new one; I don't even have a retort for that."

"Good because you're supposed to be paying attention to other things."

"I know, but I was wondering how long it was going to take for you to ask again," the redhead said and grinned. He turned his face inward and planted a line of kisses up the blonde's torso until they were face to face. "You have me a little worried with this hiding of the news though," he said with his forehead pressed against Roxas.' "I have a feeling I know who it's about but I can't tell if I should be worried or not."

"And I'm going to keep it that way until I can tire you out some," the blonde said matter-of-factly.

"And if I refuse?"

"Well then I probably won't put out for at least a week."

"…You're awful."

"No, I just know how to play you is all."

"Damn," the redhead said. "You know me so well."

"So what'll it be?"

"I _guess_ I can. You're really twisting my arm though, I gotta tell you," he said sarcastically and smiled. Roxas smiled back and turned his chin slightly to lock lips with the redhead and wrapped his arms around his neck, pulling him back. Axel followed over him obediently and broke their kiss to discard his shirt, causing his hair to fall forward and brush across the blonde's chest. Roxas let out a string a sudden giggles and batted the strands away and rubbed his skin to cease the tickling. He pushed the covers away from himself and the redhead ducked his legs under and let them be pulled over them again. Feeling left out of the nudist party, Axel shoved his pants off quickly and lowered himself on the blonde in order to fawn over him and nuzzle his skin.

Axel never got over how nice silk felt against his bare skin. Being wedged between their silken bed linens with a warm and pulsating blonde wriggling underneath him made it all the more tantalizing. He never got tired of this. He never tired of Roxas. He loved the noises he made, the smell and taste of his skin, the way his hair felt like down feathers and the contrasting hardness of his physique. It made him wonder how he ever got addicted to heroin in the first place. If someone would've bottled him and sold him on the street, he'd have been all over Roxas a decade ago and still be just as satisfied.

"Uncle Axel," a quiet voice stated and he froze with his lips pressed against the blonde's throat. He felt Roxas tense up as well and both of their eyes grew to the size of basketballs before turning their faces slowly to see Fuu looking at them from the side of the bed. Never before had either of them been so happy to be under the covers.

"Yes Sweetness?" the redhead replied, trying not to sound breathy and in the throws of lust. He noticed Roxas' skin turning a deep shade of pink. He cleared his throat and the girl tilted her head curiously.

"Naptime?" she asked.

"Not right now," he said.

"Where's your mother, Fuu?" Roxas asked.

"Lunch."

"Can you ask her and see if you can help? I know she'd appreciate it," he said kindly and the girl nodded. She looked a little upset that they wouldn't pay much attention to her but she left quietly. "Close the door please," the blonde added and she nodded, pulling it closed behind her. When it clicked, Axel leapt from the bed and locked it quickly. He held a hand to his chest and let out a breath.

"Well that was awkward," he said and Roxas nodded. He padded his way back to the bed and slid between the covers again. "I'm totally not in the mood anymore, can you just tell me what you want me to know?" he asked and cuddled up to Roxas' side. The blonde hesitated. To fill the time and distract the redhead some he combed his fingers through Axel's mane.

"Well… I happened to catch the news."

"Yeah?"

"And… it wasn't good news."

"…Okay."

"There was another rape and murder to match Xemnas' signature."

"No shit?" the redhead said in surprise. He wasn't expecting that one.

"Well… that's not all."

"Yeah?"

"It… was here. In Hollow Bastion. Xemnas is back in the area," he said. Axel immediately pushed himself up on all fours and looked down at Roxas.

"And you were keeping this from me _why_?"

"I asked you not to freak out. I was trying to avoid this reaction right here."

"Why aren't you more upset about this?"

"I am Ax, I just don't want you to flip and go off and do something drastic," Roxas pleaded and put his hands on the redhead's arms. Axel's jaw tensed as he ground his teeth together and stared into worried sapphire eyes. "Please, calm down."

"I can't."

"Try," the smaller man pushed himself up to hug the redhead around the neck and try to pull him back onto the mattress with him. Axel didn't budge and instead opted to sit back and pulled the blonde with him. He folded his legs under himself and hugged the blonde to his chest possessively. Roxas' arms wove behind him and his fingers played with the long pieces of hair lying against his back. "We need to go about this carefully. Be prepared and stay together."

"I know. I'm not leaving your side. Neither of us is leaving this house until he's caught. I already lost one family to him I'm not losing this one too." He squeezed the smaller man in his arms and Roxas squeezed him back.

***

Everything was quiet. Everybody tried to go about their business like usual and Axel tried to do as much work as he could at home. Over the course of the previous two years, he had opened several tattoo parlors in Hollow Bastion and the neighboring Twilight Town. The business was doing well enough and there were few problems in terms of management and for that he was thankful. Axel himself didn't do the tattooing process, he simply ran the outer workings, but it was an environment he enjoyed and so it was easy for him to fall into the routine and love what he did. Namine had a falling out with her progress in life. She was trying to finish art school and balance being a semi-single parent but she couldn't keep up so she ended up leaving school and started working on a tattoo portfolio and propositioned Axel to let her work for him at one of his shops. He agreed. She was set to begin work when Fuu started school in the fall.

The rapes and murders continued at a meager pace. It was clear that Xemnas was falling to pieces the longer he stayed out though because the killings gradually became less methodical and more sloppy and half-assed. Instead of simply slitting people's throats and raping their wives and daughters, he started to decapitate with anything he could find and left the women alone. Axes, kitchen knives, craft blades, box cutters, anything. The number of bodies he was leaving in his wake was growing and it was a wonder to everyone in the city that no one heard or said anything until the bodies were found. It was a disturbing to think that he was careful enough to not get caught but delirious enough to slaughter without anything to gain. If it wasn't for him leaving evidence behind, such as a hair or fingerprints, the authorities would've considered it to be another random murderer. The fact that _any_ evidence was there was enough to convince Axel and Roxas that the man had finally snapped. Regardless, he stayed away from the manor and left them alone.

Until the night came when the windows broke.

* * *

** A/N:** I dunno about you guys but Axel with longer hair just drips with sexiness to me. Mmm... beefcakes.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Axel and Roxas' Blackberries both went off at the same time. Roxas was the first to notice though and felt around his side of the bed's nightstand and rubbed his eyes as he clicked the screen. He gasped loudly and shook Axel violently, startling him out of his comatose state. The redhead shot up and looked at him with wide eyes and the blonde held out his phone. Illuminated on the screen was an automated message from their security company.

_Silent home alarm triggered. Authorities have been notified._

Axel paled and dug around in his nightstand for his keys. Roxas silently dialed Namine's phone while the redhead fumbled around the gun cabinet in the closet. Axel shoved an extra magazine in his pocket before loading another one into his Glock and closed the cabinet door silently.

"Namine, listen to me, take Fuu and get in your crawl space, someone is in the house," Roxas whispered frantically into his phone. "Just do it!" he said a little louder than he should have. He hung up on her and called Sora, telling him the same only minus the picking up of a five year old girl. Demyx and Zexion got the same call after him. Roxas pocketed his phone and Axel tossed two clips and the blonde's empty Glock on the bed for him. The smaller man slid a clip home and pocketed the spare.

"Stay here," Axel whispered and kissed his hair before making his way to the door and opening it slowly, keeping the weapon pointed at the ceiling. He eased an eye into the gap and peered down the hall. The moonlight was strong and the white marble made a perfect surface to reflect any light that streamed in through the front and back windows. He could see just enough. No one was around.

He could hear the wind rushing into the manor though, and couldn't decide if there was a door open or a window broken. His heart leapt to his throat. He didn't hear anything else outside of the wind and it bothered him. No footsteps, no breathing, no sliding of hands against handrails or anything of the sort. He knew the house was open to the elements, but he couldn't hear _why_. Using the barrel of his gun to nudge the door open more he poked his head out just enough to look in the other direction. Clear. He checked the opposite again. Clear. He eased out of the room quietly and hugged the wall, holding back a hiss as the cold stone pressed against his super heated skin.

If this was Xemnas, which there was no way that it couldn't have been then he had a problem. The man had dated Larxene. From what the stories said, they were very involved and that meant that Xemnas knew the house probably as well as Axel did. The layout hadn't changed since the damn place was built and he was kicking himself for not encouraging his blonde counterpart to switch it up a little. The bedrooms remained upstairs and the rest of the house was down below. If Xemnas was on the hunt for someone specific he would be coming up the stairs any minute and run right across Axel, who was ready for him. But the footsteps never came.

A pool of excess saliva had formed under the redhead's tongue and he swallowed thickly, wincing at the squeak his throat let out even though he was the only one who could've possibly have heard it. He eased down the hall silently, his toes quickly turning cold against the floor. He hugged the wall again when he reached the railed walkway between the wings of the house. The wall had ended and he would have to crouch behind the thick marble railings to remain partially hidden. He peeked around the corner and over the railing, down into the entryway. Nothing. He tip toed to the other side and did another look. Nothing. He let out a breath slowly before crouching low and waddling behind the railing to the opposite wing.

He hurried across the blatant opening where the staircases descended and sneaked down the hall. He laid and ear on Namine's door, facing his back to the dead end of the hallway. He couldn't hear the mother or her daughter. Good. She had listened to Roxas and hid. He did the same to Sora's door which was across the way and next to where his old room had been. Silence. Awesome.

Silence was a double edged sword for both parties. So long as they were both quiet, it was to their advantage but god forbid if someone's knee popped or a joint cracked or they brushed up against something, it would echo. Especially if over half of the walls in your home were made of towering slabs of marble. Axel eased backwards carefully, watching in front of himself and passed the door to Fuu's room to Demyx's and Zexion's room. He pressed an ear to it as well and found comforting silence. Good. He would be by himself.

He hurried back to his position at the mouth of the hall and did another check over the railings. Nothing. He could see the open window though from this angle. The glass had been shattered inward and he wondered why no one had heard anything. Then again, he didn't really care so long as everyone was safe. He wondered how long it had been since the alarm message was sent. Two? Maybe three minutes? They were so far out in the gated development that it would take a good ten or fifteen minutes for police to arrive.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a click bounce off of the walls and into his eardrums. His heart sped up and he focused his eyes more. He crouched low and eased himself down the stairs carefully, keeping an eye in all directions, hoping to catch a movement of any kind. The entryway was empty. He eased off of the staircase and looked around each side. Nothing. He half-jogged on the balls of his feet through the area and onto the runner than ran the entire length of the back hall of the house. Down one direction would be the dining hall and kitchen and the game room. Down the other would be the study/library, and eventually the theater and the gym. He strained his ear to listen for anything else.

Silence. He held a debate with himself as to where to go next. If it was Xemnas and he wanted whatever Roxas had, he might have made it into the study. If he did, it could be a problem because of the all the bookcases and places to hide. Then again, he could be anywhere. The redhead decided to try the study, just in case he was predictable. Neither hallway on the lower level was a dead end like they were upstairs and he had to slide himself along the walls in order to be able to check each direction enough to feel secure. He door to the study was open, such as it was usually kept when Roxas wasn't inside doing any work. The only problem was it was open enough for anyone to slip through, so it wasn't like it was open more than usual and he could tell if anyone had moved it to gain access.

He poked his head in quickly and scanned either side, before leaning back and checking out in the hall again. There was another click and he froze, trying to tell where it was coming from. It was the opposite direction; towards the dining hall and he quickly turned around and started heading that way. He was about to pass by the game room and stopped so he could check. He jabbed his face inside the room and all seemed peaceful so he continued towards the dining hall.

There was a light on. But it wasn't coming from the dining hall. It was at the end of the long room and peeking out from under the swinging door that blended with the paneling. Whoever it was was in the kitchen. Axel rolled his eyes. He swore to himself that if he went in there and someone was getting a midnight snack that wasn't someone he could shoot, he was going to shoot them anyway. Unless it was Fuu. He couldn't kill a child. Well… maybe just this once.

He padded into the dining hall, keeping his back against the wall. He was less noticeable in the marble halls. He was wearing white pajama bottoms this particular evening and he was already paler than all hell, so being in the blue and mahogany dining hall made him stick out blatantly even in relative darkness. The only thing he had to worry about with the marble was his hair. How long had it been now? Five? Six minutes?

He neared the swinging door and held still next to it, listening from behind a hinge into the snug gap. Someone was definitely getting something to eat. It was almost comical. If he were to burst in now, and Xemnas was making himself a sandwich, what would he do? Probably what he wanted to do, but he would hesitate just to laugh a little at the humor behind it. The door itself didn't have a handle and was able to be pushed from either side to be opened. So the person inside the kitchen would have a hiding spot behind the door if they were smart enough. Not to mention the person on the outside, Axel, would be blinded by the light inside.

He pushed the door a little and peered through the slight gap. His eyes widened when he saw a figure inside. It was most definitely Xemnas and he was watching the door calmly with a smile. He waved at Axel a little with his fingers over an apple in his hand and the redhead aimed directly at his face before pushing the door open all the way and heading inside the kitchen, squinting lightly against the light willing his eyes to adjust.

"Good evening," Xemnas said calmly and took a bite out of the apple. Axel kept the barrel trained on him and didn't say anything. "You're not very polite, you know that?"

"Fuck off," Axel barked. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to take what's mine."

"You have nothing. I suggest you leave. The police are on their way."

"I know that, do you think I'm stupid?" the man asked and straightened. Axel didn't like the way he kept his other hand hidden behind the island countertop. The redhead noted that Xemnas didn't really look so good. Not that he cared but it was obvious that years were not doing him any favors. His hair was still just as long but had lost its healthy sheen, as had his olive skin. His face was gaunt and his cheeks sunken lightly while the lower half was covered in a thick layer of stubble. His amber eyes though, were just as piercing, just as glowing.

"Don't. Move," the redhead said slowly and furrowed his brows together in a menacing glower. His adrenaline was pumping and his heart racing, forcing his blood to sing through his ears.

"You're so inexperienced," Xemnas said and there was a loud bang as he shot the floor. The noise made Axel falter some and the man brought up his other arm quickly and trained a pistol on the redhead's chest. The redhead moved to realign and the man grinned. "Ah ah," he said and wiggled the gun at him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Axel was stuck in a position with his gun pointed over Xemnas' shoulder. "Just let me out of the kitchen and I'll be on my way," he said and started to shuffle towards the door. Axel's eyebrows were starting to hurt at how hard he was glaring at the man. They effectively switched places in the room by way of easing around on another, and Xemnas pushed the door open with the hand that held the apple. "Thanks, you're a peach," he said and took off.

Axel swore under his breath at the size of the manor and it was a good three seconds before he could get to the door and by that time Xemnas was already halfway through the dining hall and heading for the main hall. The man slid around the corner and could be heard running across the marble before Axel could reach it. The hall was long and Xemnas wasn't stupid. Even as Axel held his arm out while he ran after him he couldn't get a clear shot because the man didn't run in a straight line. Xemnas disappeared around the corner and that gave Axel time to catch up a little but even as he rounded the corner as well, Xemnas was already skewed by the railings as he ran up the steps. Axel realigned quickly and fired off a shot, grazing the thick marble. Xemnas laughed.

By the time Axel got up the stairs, Xemnas had kicked in Namine's door. Axel could hear Fuu scream from wherever they were hiding inside. The redhead fired another shot and just barely missed the man and he laughed again as he went inside, slamming the door shut behind him and kicking it from the other side. When Axel went to open it he found it to be stuck were the door had been forced back into place after the doorknob plate was broken. He swore under his breath and ran to the next door down, in through Fuu's room and through the bathroom.

By the time he burst into Namine's room, Xemnas had the crawlspace open and was bent over, dragging Fuu out with one hand by her ankle, the little girl's shrill screams echoing. Namine was trying to pull her back by her arms into the little storage space in the wall. Xemnas looked around his hip at Axel and grinned maliciously as he ignored the pulling and shoved the barrel of his pistol into the girl's back. Without hesitation Axel unloaded three more shots into the man, risking that he pull the trigger of his own weapon as he jolted with the hits.

He didn't. Xemnas froze in shock as blood poured out of his side. Namine seized the opportunity to pull Fuu back inside and the child clung to her, sobbing. The man dropped his gun and his hand shook as he reached around and touched the wound. Axel stalked across the room and pulled the man upright by his hair and firmly punched him across the face, sending him sprawling backwards onto the floor. He kicked Xemnas' gun away. The man coughed and blood spurted from his lips.

"You like rape you sick fuck?" Axel asked with a sneer as he trained the Glock on the man's face. "How's about I take you back into my room and bend you over myself? You like killing? You like watching people bleed and beg for your mercy?" he asked incessantly and stood over him. Xemnas reached over weakly and grabbed Axel's pant leg with shaking fingers. He gurgled against his clogging airway and more blood poured out onto the carpet. His eyes were dark and unfocused as he looked up at the redhead.

"Axel!" Roxas called and tripped over his feet trying to get into the room through the bathroom. His eyes flew wide at the sight in front of him. "Don't kill him!" he said and Axel flicked a glance at him but held steady. There was a tense few seconds of silence between everyone and the redhead took a deep breath.

"I know. I'm not," he said calmly and pointed the gun away from the man. He stepped back, Xemnas' fingers slipping free of the silken fabric easily. The man's eyes were fluttering close and he choked more. Axel bent low and smacked him across the face coating his fingers in the man's blood. "Hey! You have a date with a big man named Bubba who hasn't seen a _fine_ piece of ass like yours in twenty years! You can't die yet," he said and Xemnas' eyes opened groggily. Axel wiped the blood off of his hand on the man's shirt. He transferred his gun to his other hand and stood again before holding his clean one out to the girls in the crawl space. Roxas held his arms open and Fuu ran to him while Axel helped Namine stand. She threw her arms around his waist and hugged him firmly.

"Thank you, Axel," she said through streaming tears. He hugged her back as best as he could and kissed her hair before leading her towards Roxas. Demyx and Zexion appeared in Fuu's room and the sandy blonde fawned over the child, making sure she was alright. Sora peeked around them as well and pushed everyone out of the way before falling to the floor beside Xemnas.

"Holy shit!" he cried and Xemnas blinked unfocusedly at him. "Have I ever told you that you're an asshole?" Sora asked and he didn't respond. "Well you are," he said simply and spat in his face. Axel pulled him away before picking up Xemnas' pistol and heading towards the group. He set the weapons on the countertop in the bathroom just before Roxas crashed into him, hugging him tightly. The blonde was shaking and Axel pulled him close, ignoring the mess on his one hand.

"It's over…" the redhead cooed into his hair and Roxas nodded. "How long ago did the alarm go off?" he asked curiously and the blonde pulled away just enough to dig his phone from his pocket, he clicked the screen.

"Eight minutes."

***

Roxas had been called to a press conference in the middle of the next day. Axel accompanied him and stood behind him with his hands folded behind him in a flat black suit with his hair pulled back, watching the sea of reporters through a pair of small sunglasses. The blonde stepped behind the podium and adjusted his tie, and was reminded why he hated these things. It was scorching under all the lights and the microphones in front of him looked like a short wall of foam covered penises. He was blinded momentarily when the cameras started to go off, but eventually the chaos died down and all the people settled. He blinked against the dots in his vision.

"I'm not going to give an opening speech. Everyone knows what happened, so let's just skip right to the questions," he said calmly and waved a dismissive hand. Immediately there was an uproar as everyone in the crowd jumped up waving their hands and talking excitedly. Roxas motioned to one of them and everyone sat while a woman with black hair remained standing.

"Mr. Meadows, I'm sure everyone wants to know your opinion on the matter concerning the Goldsmiths, care to explain?" she said and sat, ready to take notes. Roxas smirked and scoffed a laugh.

"Is it wrong of me to be so happy with the results? When I heard that Xemnas had passed on his way to the hospital, it was bittersweet. Part of me wanted him to have the same fate that he brought on my parents and my friend, but part of me wanted him to rot in prison for the rest of his life just like his son. The Goldsmiths have tortured, literally tortured, my family and took the lives of countless other people. I believe I heard the latest body count to be somewhere in the fifties," he said and itched a brow absently. "So maybe it is poetic justice to have him die right along with them. Personally, I'm just…" he squeaked as his air caught in his throat. There was a light murmur from the audience as the blonde slumped some and covered his eyes. Axel stepped forward and peered at his face. Roxas was crying. He rubbed the blonde's back and dug in his pocket for a handkerchief. Roxas took it and wiped at his eyes, casting a small smile at Axel. He straightened and sniffled a little, swallowing back his tears. "I apologize," he said to the crowd. "I'm just so happy."

***

"Are you sure I should be doing this?" the blonde asked and Axel grinned, nodding.

"Xaldin said you'd be fine and that's enough for me," he said happily and kissed the shorter man's forehead before skittering off back to the pitcher's mound. Roxas wrung his hands around the handle of the bat and looked at it suspiciously. "What are you waiting for?" Axel called to him.

"I haven't run, like literally, full out sprint in over a decade, Ax, leave me be," the blonde called back and gave him a glare.

"Smack it out of the park Roxxy!" Sora called and waved his glove around in the air from third base.

"No fucking way! If he does that then I have to go get it!" Rikku called from left field. Paine laughed at her from right field. Reno turned from his position at first and put his hands on his hips, shaking his head at Rikku.

"You're so damn lazy, girl!" he called to her and she held up her middle finger for him.

"Okay okay okay pay attention, guys!" Axel called to all of them and they all stopped their bickering and turned back to face Roxas. The blonde took a moment to get out his last minute jitters and he shifted the weight back and fourth between his legs, testing them. He backed up some and readied the bat over his shoulder. Axel grinned and gave him a wink before winding up and sending the ball flying over home base. Roxas didn't swing.

"What the hell?" the redhead asked and furrowed his brows together.

"Sorry… sorry, just a little nervous," Roxas said and went to throw the ball back. They didn't have a catcher, or half of the other positions filled for that matter. He readied himself again and Axel rolled his shoulders before lobbing another one. Roxas squeezed the bat and swung and the ball cracked as it went flying. He dropped the bat and his eyes flicked to Axel briefly before he pushed off and started running. Sora let out a triumphant squeal from his position and Paine and Rikku scrambled around in the outfield after the ball. Reno was facing them, waiting for the throw. Axel was frozen with his eyes locked on Roxas.

Axel didn't have the ball, and he didn't care. He chased after the blonde and caught him by surprise when he was halfway to second base. Roxas let out a surprised yelp as he was swept to the side and into the redhead's chest. Axel squeezed him with every ounce of his strength in a hug and the blonde panted against him, trying to catch his breath.

"What the hell? You don't have the ball," the blonde protested and Axel threw his glove over his shoulder and took the shorter man's face in his hands.

"Don't care," he said and crushed their mouths together. He held them together for a minute before leaning back and smiling at him. "You were running, and that was just about the sexiest thing I've ever seen," he said, panting. Roxas looked a little dumbfounded and blinked his confusion away before his mouth spread into a grin.

"I was, wasn't I?" he asked, eyes glittering.

"Does it hurt?"

"No, actually, it doesn't."

"Fantastic," the redhead said and lowered himself again and kissed him tenderly. The blonde wrapped his arms around the redhead's neck and reciprocated the motion, weaving their tongues together and deepening the kiss immediately. Axel grunted happily against him and smoothed his hands over the other's back, feeling every piece of him he could. Their dual strings of breath picked up and Roxas jumped a little and wrapped his legs around the redhead's waist. The taller man caught him and held him close, lapping hungrily between his lips.

Reno cleared his throat. They startled and pulled away from one another just enough to cause a line of saliva fall between them. The shorter redhead grinned and touched the ball gently to Roxas' elbow.

"You're out."

* * *

**A/N:** Yay, oh my god.

For those of you who were curious, this whopper was 715 pages long.

Holy fuck.

This was my first ever fanfic and I'm so thankful that it was so well received.

It was thought up on the spot for most everything. I didn't have any rough drafts, any plans, or any actual cohesive line I followed, I just figured how I could manipulate tiny plot holes to keep it going. I'm quite proud of myself, even if it was a little confusing in some places.

I can't thank you guys enough for all of your reviews and nice words; even the occasional criticism. It was all very well received on my end and I love you all for it! I only wish I could respond to those anonymous reviewers just like I tried to with everyone else!

Thank you thank you thank you!

I hope you'll all stick around because if you thought Anxiety was crazy, just wait for my next fic. It'll be up soon, I plan on starting it right away.

Like… as soon as I'm done typing this, actually.

Much loves!

-Kareen


	46. Moving Update

My dA - Kareen

My Tumblr - Kareen2006

My Twitter - Kareen2006

These are my sites. Please follow me so we don't lose touch, my lovelies. I will be moving my stories to AO3 when I get the chance.

* * *

**Edit: 06/16** - Sorry! I didn't realize the names weren't showing up. Reposting!

A lot of people are asking me why I'm moving. FFnet is cracking down on mature content and deleting stories without prior notice. I know several people who have had entire stories just up and disappear without FFnet giving them the chance to change anything. It's only a matter of time before mine are taken down as well. AO3 (or Archive of Our Own) is a place for fan-works that's much more open minded.

Sorry for all the confusion. It was 3am when I posted this the first time.

_**My AO3 name** _- Kareen2006


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